Allington Incinerator - expensive folly

Maidstone Green's have reacted with frustration at the reopening of Allington Incinerator. The Green Party has consistently opposed the incinerator, which broke down last year and called for it to stay shut last Autumn. The restarting of the incinerator will also increase the tax burden by around £5 million each year.

Stuart Jeffery, Coordinator for Maidstone Green Party: "This is a sad moment for Kent. We have opposed the incinerator from the outset and last year's break down provided a great opportunity to find better alternatives to incineration - frustratingly this opportunity was not seized. The lack of political will to really tackle the waste problem is storing up more and more problems for the future.

"This is not just a waste problem, the incinerator will also cost taxpayers in Kent an extra £5 million each year to run. When you consider that incinerator doesn't make the waste disappear - matter can't be destroyed - it makes the use of the incinerator even more bizarre. Some of the waste from the incinerator is simply sent into the atmosphere and the rest is landfilled.

"The incinerator is bound to go wrong again - let us hope that next time Kent County Council finds better ways of dealing with our waste and leaves it closed."

Notes:

The current cost per month to KCC for waste that has been incinerated at the Allington incinerator until it closed? The average cost per month to KCC, during 2007/08, for waste incinerated at the Allington Energy from Waste plant, whilst operating, was £1.8million

The current cost per month to KCC for the waste that is currently being landfilled with the incinerator closed (both landfill tax and other charges)? The average cost per month to KCC, during 2007/08, whilst the Allington Energy from Waste plant was undergoing commissioning works and waste was transferred to landfill was £1.4million.