from Hull Daily Mail article by Paul De Zylva
(Friends of the Earth)
Wednesday 8 December 2004
Environmental campaigners have praised councillors for delaying a decision on plans for waste incineration.
At a meeting of East Riding Council's cabinet yesterday, a recommendation to back low-scale incineration at six possible sites by 2020 was deferred until January when all members' views will have been heard.
It was also suggested councillors were given the chance to view other waste management sites.
Today, the move to wait until the next cabinet meeting was welcomed by Paul De Zylva, of Friends of the Earth, who said East Riding councillors should not be criticised for taking a step back.
"Residents should be pleased the cabinet made the decision to talk to other councillors and take time out," he said.
"A rushed decision can be a bad decision.
"Problems are not solved by burning rubbish. Other local authorities have made trips to other sites to get a view of the options available.
"It is essential people make the right choice."
In Hull, the city council's cabinet took less than 15 minutes to back a policy of incineration and much higher recycling rates.
The unanimous vote by the all-Labour cabinet came after a presentation by officers.
According to environment portfolio holder Councillor Gary Wareing, the decision reflected the result of an nine-month review of different technology options.
He said other technologies were either in their infancy or had no commercially viable by-products.
Incineration was a tried, tested and cheaper solution, he added.
"This is the way forward," he said.
Cllr Wareing said aiming to reach the 45 per cent recycling target had been endorsed by the public in a questionnaire accompanying the review.
"The overwhelming feeling from the public was we should be recycling more than we are at the moment," he added.
At Beverley's County Hall, East Riding Council leader Councillor Stephen Parnaby said incineration was an "important issue" and he felt everyone would want a say.
Referring to the cabinet's role to decide on the outcome of the recommendations, he said: "We should not try to get out of making a decision.
"But we need to know what the views of the other members are."
Once a technology is chosen to go alongside the new 45 per cent recycling target, the search will start for a site to develop a waste facility.
Councillor Stewart Willie, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said more time was needed to give members the opportunity to visit alternative waste disposal sites in the UK.
"We are opposed to the officers' recommendation for six small incineration plants, and believe two alternatives of anaerobic digestion and advanced thermal treatment need to be looked at," he said.
