From left. Frank Saunders, Team Leader – Rivenhall Incinerator, Priti Patel MP, Simon Hawkins, the Environment Agency’s Area Director for East Anglia and James Mason, Team Leader – Flood Alleviation scheme.
Priti questions Environment Agency over Rivenhall Incinerator
Witham MP Priti Patel has today (24.01.20) questioned the Environment Agency over the Rivenhall incinerator and the Agency’s intention to grant a permit to operate. The incinerator is widely opposed across the Witham constituency and the local area. While meeting the Agency’s Area Director for East Anglia,, Simon Hawkins, Priti reiterated the strength of local opposition and the many serious concerns over the current consultation process taking place in advance of the permit.
The consultation is running until 6 February 2020 but with only one engagement event held on 10 January 2020, Priti has demanded that the Agency extends the consultation and holds further public engagement meetings at locations throughout the local area including all areas that will be affected by the incinerator and the pollution that it will bring.
Priti, who has been a longstanding opponent of the Incinerator, said: “The Rivenhall Incinerator is opposed by thousands of people and the Environment Agency must be held to account over the way it is reaching its decision on the licence application. The lack of public consultation and engagement is appalling and unacceptable as the incinerator will have a significant and long-lasting, damaging impact on this part of Essex. Local residents and I are shocked about the level of emissions from the site, the pollution implications, the impact on road traffic locally as well as the carbon footprint the incinerator will create. The granting of the permit for the incinerator will do nothing to prevent this and the Environment Agency must act responsibly by listening to local people and throwing out this licence application.”
“This incinerator would be deeply damaging to the local area and due to the changing nature and composition of waste, questions are being raised about whether the site is necessary. As well as directly raising these objections with the Environment Agency I have also taken up this issue with the Secretary of State for the Environment. We should not have this monstrosity imposed on us and I will continue to do all I can to get this appalling development stopped.”