A range of waste management issues and proposals has come on to the Conservation Council work program.
We have been working with a range of groups and individuals on matters arising from the ACT Waste Feasibility Study in particular the proposed Fyshwick recycling and waste-to-energy incineration facility. In the last two weeks we have been meeting with the proponents and amongst ourselves to investigate the proposal and discuss issues arising including impacts on the environment and the effects on human health.
The Conservation Council will be coordinating some resource material and questions about the project and raise some issues about the way ACT Government planning, environment and health areas deal with proposals with potential deleterious effects.
The National Toxics Network (ntn.org.au) has provided a short paper 10 reasons why burning waste for energy is a bad idea (attached). The paper distinguishes the types of energy from waste – hot technologies and cool technologies – and gives details of issues with hot technologies under ten headings:
1. Releases toxic air pollutants
2. Produces toxic ash
3. Dirtiest form of energy production
4. Destroys embedded energy
5. Undermines recycling efforts
6. Destroys resources
7. Stifles innovation
8. Waste incineration costs jobs
9. Waste incineration undermines real renewable energy
10. Entrenches a linear economy
The Conservation Council site has more discussion of waste issues including the 2017 market sounding exercise and we have a page of links to various Conservation Council reports and to ACT Government strategies and reports.
For more information on the proposed Fyshwick recycling and waste-to-energy incineration facility see Canberra Times articles: here and here