Representation by Kings Lynn Without Incineration (KLWIN) ( Kings Lynn Without Incineration (KLWIN))
- Date submitted
- 12 October 2022
- Submitted by
- Non-statutory organisations
The Medworth proposal will.... Significantly contribute to CO2 emmissions which will harm UK National efforts to meet its National and International climate change targets and undertakings. Significantly contribute to the already high National excess waste combustion capacity which is over and above HMG targets. Burn materials that should be recycled. HMG has published a breakdown of waste with regard to the levels of ease/ difficulty with which fractions can be recycled. Since 2019 the UK has been progressively combusting increasing amounts of those fractions that can and should be recycled. The Medworth plant will add significantly to this problem and move the UK further from the circular economy. Produce electric power by the combustion of waste which kw for kw is more polluting than power generated by the combustion of coal. Discharge levels of harmful pm2.5 particulates to the atmosphere which are underestimated by expressing such discharges by mass not particle numbers. Clinically the mass of particulates is not important but size, number and composition are. Even a small mass of pm2.5s constitutes a large number of particles because of their small size and mass. The most recent published research has demonstrated the mechanism by which pm2.5s can trigger predisposed but inactive cancer cells to proliferate. The proposal has bypassed local democratic planning procedures by claiming a power output which just exceeds the 50 Meg Watt threshold for qualification as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. Given the existing, planned and proposed competitive incineration and recycling facilities in the area and the lack of support from the surrounding Waste Disposal Authorities there must be doubt as to the chances of exceeding the 50 Meg Watt output and hence the NSIP status of the proposal. Given the 40 year plus operating life of the proposal there would appear to be no adequate regard given to the environmental and biological accumulation of harmful elements and compounds discharged by the Medworth facility and distributed down wind of it. Twenty million tons of waste over 40 years may generate only small amounts of individual toxic materials per year but those prone to accumuation will progressively become more dangerous. NB I wish to reserve the right to expand on the above points and others as appropriate during the proposal examination phase.