Clean air campaigners criticise move by gov to restrict wood from landfill

Clean air campaigners have criticised a move by the government to restrict wood from landfill, arguing that burning the wood is likely to lead to an increase in air pollution.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has recently issued a call for evidence regarding the potential introduction of waste wood landfill restrictions in England. Clean air campaign group Breathe Clean Air have responded by claiming the proposals set out only look at the economic benefits of introducing restrictions, and had "no regard for the health risks associated with storing and burning waste wood."

Defra proposed the ban to divert the material which is currently sent to landfill because they believe this procedure generates greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, they have proposed that wood is lifted up the waste hierarchy to ‘deliver clear environmental benefits’.

According to the proposals, the growing biomass market would be the main outlet for the extra material, because the majority of wood sent to landfill is of low quality. Of the 4.3 million tonnes of waste wood which arises in the UK each year, only half is currently recycled, with between 800,000 and 1.2 million tonnes still sent to landfill.

But the Breathe Clean Air Group believe these procedures look only at the economic benefits of avoiding landfill, and don’t take into consideration the added air pollution such moves could create. The group was set up to oppose the construction and operation of the Barton Renewable Energy Plant in Greater Manchester, which is where the waste wood would be burnt.

According to the group, burning wood creates fine particulate matter (PM1s) and burning waste wood produces heavy metals such as arsenic and lead, volatile organic compounds and dioxins, which has implications for respiratory illness, heart attacks, strokes and cancer.

Pete Kilvert, chairman of the Breathe Clean Air Group, said: “It would appear that Defra is only focussed on the economic benefit of recycling wood and has paid scant regard to health impacts. I am greatly concerned that this consultation document will be seen as a “Biomass Burners’ Charter”, and there will be an acceleration to burning this valuable resource and causing massive health impacts."

Posted by Claire Manning