(Photo above of Stop Veolia campaigners)
Veolia Exposed – Despite denials, they ARE incinerating waste in Garston!
The new Veolia treatment plant in Garston will have a capacity to process 86,000 tonnes of hazardous chemical waste a year. But claims that they are not going to incinerate waste at this plant have been contradicted by the Environment Agency.
Despite assurances from the local MP, Liverpool City Council and even Veolia, that incineration at the plant will not happen, the Environment Agency have issued a permit allowing incineration.
Plans for an incinerator in Garston were rejected by city planners in 2009 because: ‘…the plant’s “use and perception” would “have a detrimental impact on the regeneration of Garston”.’
This highly dangerous facility, with the potential to be another Flixborough, will operate in a residential area near two schools, making the lives of people, already suffering from polluted air, much worse.
The new Veolia plant was given the go-ahead without full scrutiny by Liverpool City Council under delegated powers, despite objections from almost 600 people, including local councillors and residents.
Concerns about incineration have been have been dismissed by:
- Maria Eagle, the local MP: “…there are currently no proposals for an incinerator in Garston, or elsewhere in the city.”1
- Jonathan Woodward, Principal Planning Officer, Liverpool City Council: “There is no mention of incinerators at the plant and I have no knowledge of any proposals for an incinerator in Garston, or elsewhere in the city.”2
- Veolia UK: “…the plant will not be classified as an incinerator or co-incinerator.”3
Liverpool City Council have been taken in by Veolia’s ‘Greenwashing’, or what Veolia call ‘GreenUp’, which, they say, will save “172,000 tonnes of CO2e in greenhouse gas emissions each year…the equivalent to taking 78,000 diesel cars off the road”.
Of course, it is irrelevant to the local community what this toxic waste plant is called. It’s these locals who will feel the effects of the toxic plume which will spew from it’s towers. It’s they who will have to breathe in the cocktail of chemicals every day, living in fear of fire or explosion in a community already suffering some of the worst health in England. And it’s them who were promised social improvements to their area only to find polluting industry invited in by the council.
Notes:
- Email to a Garston resident from the office of Maria Eagle MP, 26th October, 2022. Although this is a direct quote from Theresa Grant OBE, Interim Chief Executive, Liverpool City Council.
- Email from Jonathan Woodward to resident and Councillor Sam Gorst 25th October, 2022.
- FAQs in relation to Veolia, Garston, L19 8EG. Update 15th November 2023.
Image credits
The 3 mile ‘Blast Zone’ around Veolia’s Chemical processing plant’ from John Davies.
‘Health Statistics in Liverpool’ sources: Liverpool City Council’s ‘Key statistics and Data’ website, Liverpool City Council’s Strategic Health Assessment: https://liverpool.gov.uk/media/fo4d35dq/appendix-6-liverpool-wards-health-profile.pdf and specific data about Garston from the last two years directly from the LCC officer responsible for compiling these statistics. Credit John Davies.