The following text is the transcript of a flyer distributed around Whiteparish by a villager, concerned after reading the Wiltshire Waste Local Plan. We need to respond to this challenge to our village - so please attend the meeting described at the end of the document.
WILTSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL'S PROPOSAL FOR
AN INTEGRATED WASTE DEPOT OF UP TO 50 ACRES
NEXT TO WHITEPARISH
It appears that Wiltshire County Council and Swindon Borough Council have identified 5000 acres which includes part of Whiteparish as a suitable area for an Integrated Waste Site. This means:-
1. There will be many thousand tonnes of composted waste produced every year, comprising of rotted wood, paper, organic kitchen and garden refuse.
2. Incineration of 90% of waste delivered - incorporating a chimney at least 105 feet high.
3. According to Wiltshire County Council, incinerators incorporate heavy machinery, and large ones (which this will be), mass burn and cause unpleasant odours and toxic fumes. Waste awaiting incineration will cause vermin, odours etc.. Although the waste will be burnt, the energy produced will not benefit the local community, but will drive turbines to produce electricity to be fed into the National Grid via high voltage pylons.
4. In 1996, according to the Council's written figures, Wiltshire produced 1.1 million tonnes of waste. However, this site will be run by a commercial waste disposal firm with waste coming from Wiltshire, Hampshire and probably Dorset. If Whiteparish is lucky there will only be 500,000 tonnes of waste a year, but probably closer to 1 million tonnes.. Lorry movements to bring in the waste will be between 100 to 200 heavy vehicles per working day, plus vehicles to move out the compost. If the site is fully utilised, lorry movements will be well over 200 per day.
5. The remaining 10% of waste will be deposited in or on the ground. Waste according to the Council includes:- Scrap material, effluent, contaminated, spoiled and broken items.
In the Salisbury Journal 30th December 1999, one of our Parish Council Clerks states "There is even speculation that the operation might involve the building of a 105 ft incinerator, but this is just a rumour going around the village". The Waste Local Plan definitely states " AN INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY IS PROPOSED- POSSIBLY INCLUDING COMPOSTING LANDFILL AND ENERGY RECOVERY " - ENERGY RECOVERY = BURNING IN AN INCINERATOR. This site will be new and covers a huge area so if we are realistic it is obvious that this site will include an incinerator.
A MEETING IS BEING HELD ON THURSDAY 20th JANUARY 2000 AT 7.30 P.M. IN THE VILLAGE HALL WHERE A WILTSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE WILL EXPLAIN THE COUNCIL'S PROPOSALS, AND HOPEFULLY ANSWER QUESTIONS.
IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR VILLAGE YOU MUST ATTEND!