Representation by Truth About Plastic (Truth About Plastic)
- Date submitted
- 16 June 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Energy from waste is a toxic enterprise- the emissions from burning plastics- which is the feedstock that fuels incineration as it makes up the majority of our domestic and increasingly our building waste - are carbon intensive and what’s more there are chemicals and heavy metals released. The bottom and fly ash are dangerously toxic and yet get spread on roads as aggregate. This is a public health disaster. Yes we need to deal with our waste - by working harder to reduce it. Moving to more EFW is enabling if not encouraging more plastics production. (See our open letter “A Global Commitment to Plastic Reduction” to the Global Plastics Treaty negotiators written with UNA Oceans and Climate, the EIA and Break Free From Plastic colleagues signed by Sir Jonathon Porritt, Chris Packham and hundreds of other individuals and global organisations ) I also work as an ecologist and do survey work. Crossness is an important habitat for wildlife and some protected species- “mitigation” is not what they need. They need their habitat. Imagine the concept of “biodiversity net gain” applied to humans. It would be like saying “oh yeah- we had to kill half of Bexley but it’s OK, we airlifted some out to go and procreate in Bromley, and we did some home improvements in Bromley while we were at it”. Crossness needs nothing more than to be left alone. It’s a nature reserve. The name says it all. There needs to be a sanctity about these places. Nature reserves cannot be “mitigated” - they are reserves because they are habitat for other species and we have done enough damage as the dominant species on this planet. Find somewhere else!