§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will announce her decision on London Waste Ltd.'s application to extend the Edmonton energy-from-waste power station. [59158]
§ Mr. WilsonI have today decided that consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to London Waste Ltd.'s application cannot be given. The extension would have an annual throughput of waste of around 285,000 tonnes over and above the existing station's capacity of 550,000 tonnes per annum.
In deciding not to grant consent I have taken into account the hierarchy for the treatment of waste set out in the Government's Waste Strategy 2000. Our policy is that waste should be minimised and recycling and composting undertaken before energy from waste is considered. I have considered all the information placed before me, both for and against the extension, and have concluded that the existing station is large enough to deal with the North London Waste Authority's (NLWA) residual waste after recycling. To grant consent for the extension would result in a station with an overall capacity capable of handling all of NLWA's municipal waste and could mean that the NLWA had little incentive to do more recycling over and above the minimum required by statute. Also should the NLWA meet or better its recycling targets then this would lead to a shortfall in the waste stream for the extended station and could lead to waste being imported from other areas which would be contrary to the Proximity Principal whereby waste should be treated as near to its origin as possible.
I have also considered the measures the applicant has undertaken to incorporate at the Edmonton site to encourage recycling, composting and using heat for local district heating schemes. While these measures are to be welcomed I am aware that previous ones of a similar type in the site have been closed or not utilised. I am of the opinion they are not sufficient to justify granting consent to the extension. Indeed should such measures prove successful then there would appear to me to be less justification for the need for the extension.
In refusing consent I should make it clear that the Government are not against energy-from-waste stations where they are clearly required and properly sized. The requirement of our policy is that statutory recycling targets must be met and that no incineration proposal shall be permitted which will pre-empt recycling or reduce the option for recycling for the future.
Copies of the Press Notice and decision letters are being placed in the Library of the House.