Lib Dems say No to Incinerator

2.28.55pm GMT Thu 22nd Nov 2007

Bedford Borough Lib Dems are opposed to the County Council's plans for an incinerator

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have slammed the County Council's plans for a giant incinerator near Stewartby and are calling on the Borough Council to reject the County's attempts to force through its plans for an incinerator at Rookery South Pit.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Michael Headley said:

"We are sending a clear message to the County Council that we will resist its misguided plans for a waste incinerator. Better environmental options are available, yet the County intends to stick a giant incinerator at Rookery South Pit near Stewartby. This simply must not be allowed to happen.'

"The County Council has not given serious consideration to other methods of dealing with waste, with the result being that their plans would leave local residents and our local and wider environment to suffer the consequences of an oversized, unwanted incinerator.'

"Reducing, reusing and recycling should come before burning waste, even if there is energy as a by-product. The danger is that signing up to a huge incinerator demands a constant flow of a large amount of waste to burn rather than prioritising getting waste out of the system at an earlier stage, such as increased recycling. "

Cllr Headley called on the Borough Council Executive to reject the "County Council's flawed plans for an incinerator" at a meeting of the full council last night.