Incinerator decision under fire

Backlash to Labour decision to sign off Tyseley incinerator contract for another ten years.

Kate Knowles - Local Democracy Reporter | Thursday 27th April 2023 8:54am

The decision to continue using a controversial waste incinerator for another ten years has come under fire.

Birmingham City Council’s cabinet agreed the plan yesterday claiming it was an important step in addressing the climate crisis because it prevents non-recyclable waste being sent to landfill.

Instead, this waste is burnt in an incinerator operated by waste management company Veolia who were awarded the contract in 1994 with that due to expire in January 2019.

In December 2018, cabinet approved an interim extension to expire in January 2024.

Opposition councillors and an environmental campaign group have expressed dismay at the latest decision, with one councillor calling incineration “outdated technology”.

Another claims the council has “dragged their feet”, refusing to implement modern systems for recycling and kicking the can down the road until the only option was to continue using the incinerator.

The cabinet met yesterday morning to discuss the item with portfolio lead for environment Coun Majid Mahmood (Lab, Bromford and Hodge Hill) defending the recommendation.

He insisted the plan was in line with the 2017 waste strategy, set out by the council until 2040, which focuses on how to “reduce, reuse and recycle to develop a more sustainable city”.

He added: “We must be absolutely clear leader that that this is still the council’s policy and that we are continuing to enact this strategy in line with our very ambitious ‘Route-to-Zero’ plans.

“The report before us today is just part of that journey, but it is a significant part of the journey to an incineration-free future, as crucially we still have a statutory duty to provide a proven and reliable method for the disposal of waste for citizens.”

Birmingham Tory Deputy Leader Cllr Ewan Mackey (Sutton Roughley) said: “Labour’s failure to properly plan for the incinerator coming to the end of its natural life in 2019 has left the city burdened with a highly polluting and expensive facility.

“That they left it to the last minute before the end of the original 25-year contract is bad enough, that they have dragged their feet again, as the five year extension expires, to the point where they are having to renew for another 10 years is inexcusable.

“While other councils are embracing the technological improvements in waste disposal over the last 30 years, Birmingham Labour are sticking to a 20th century solution to a 21 st century waste problem.”

Chris Crean, from environmental campaign group West Midlands Friends of the Earth, said: “It’s very disappointing that we are going to continue to be dependent upon this burner when there are loads of other things we should be doing with the resources that we throw away.”

His views are echoed by opposition parties which want the focus to be on reducing waste and improving recycling systems.

Cllr Roger Harmer added (Lib, Acocks Green) said: “There are proven ways of recycling most of the waste we burn in Birmingham.

“For example food waste, that makes up over a third of our waste, can be radically reduced and the remainder recycled.

“We should have been setting up these systems years ago rather than wasting time and then having to extend the life of the incinerator.”

More News Headlines