County seeks site for waste burner (From Witney Gazette)

County seeks site for waste burner

8:31am Friday 25th January 2008 in Headlines By Giles Sheldrick

Locations that have been considered as future waste management depots across the county have been disclosed.

But Oxfordshire County Council has still not stated which, if any, have been shortlisted as suitable for incinerators.

No other waste disposal solutions have been tendered by companies bidding for Oxfordshire's waste treatment contract after 2012, leaving incineration as the only viable option.

Last night, the council said it was "duty bound" to tell companies which sites and technology had been selected before it informed the public. An announcement is due next month.

The sites include Shipton Quarry near Kidlington - previously earmarked as a location for a 5,000-home eco-town - and Sutton Courtenay.

But as the debate over the merits of burning waste heats up, parents spoke about safety concerns.

A group of mothers living in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, said they were worried about claims that prevailing south westerly winds could blow particulates over their estate if an incinerator was built in Sutton Courtenay.

And Oxford City Council said it would strongly oppose moves to build an incinerator if questions over health risks remained unanswered.

Mother-of-five Carmel Ryan, 44, from Balfour Road, Blackbird Leys, said: "I am fuming. Just because we live in a deprived area, must our health suffer?"

County Hall stressed not each of the 28 locations - originally chosen as "possible strategic waste treatment facilities" - would be suitable for an incinerator.

But last night, Oxford Friends of the Earth said it was so concerned it was considering a legal challenge over the consultation process.

Labour city councillor leader Bob Price said: "As I understand it from talking to county officers, the favoured sites are in the south west of the county because of transport links.

"My concern is that with prevailing south westerly winds, particulates could be dumped over the most populated areas of the city."

Next month, the list is expected to be reduced to a handful of sites.

Andrew Pau, head of waste management at County Hall, said: "Our tendering process continues.

"We will be in a position to make an announcement about specific sites during the course of February."

A spokesman for the Health Protection Agency said: "The HPA is satisfied that a well-managed and well-regulated modern incinerator will be highly unlikely to have an impact upon public health."

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "We are not aware of any studies that have identified conclusive links between incinerator emissions and adverse effects on public health."

Potential sites for waste management or an incinerator

• Chilton Waste, Chilton
• Dix Pit, Stanton Harcourt
• Worton Rectory Farm, Cassington
• Sutton Courtenay Landfill
• Finmere Quarry, Finmere
• Gosford Grain Silo, Gosford
• TWA Sewage Farm, Bicester
• Ardley Quarry Landfill
• Alkerton Quarry Landfill
• Quarry adjacent to Alkerton Landfill
• Former quarry, Shipton-on-Cherwell
• North of Waterworks Lane, Banbury
• UKAEA Western Storage Site, Harwell
• UKAEA Perimeter Road, Chilton
• West of M40, Banbury
• Bicester Airfield
• Lakeside Industrial Estate, Standlake
• Southmead Business Park, Didcot
• Hornton Grounds Quarry, Hornton
• Adjacent to power station, Hill Farm, Didcot
• Oxford Sewage Treatment Works, Sandford
• Exxon Mobil site, Milton Hill
• Old Camping Ground, Didcot Power Station
• Culham Science Centre, Culham
• Site 1, Culham
• Site 4, Culham
• Banbury Cross Business Park, Banbury
• Land at Gavray Drive, Bicester