1st July 2006

Liberal Democrats failed to take the opportunity to rule out incineration as an option for waste treatment within the County when they voted against a section of a motion opposing incineration (seconded by the Greens) at this week's Full City Council meeting (26th June).

This was despite hearing from Green Councillors that backing incineration was most likely to lead to a new incinerator being built on the outskirts of Oxford.

Earlier this year the Greens produced a document setting out the case against incineration debunking claims made by the other parties, most prominently by Labour, that incinerating Oxfordshire's waste will provide significant amounts of 'green' energy.

The report concluded that, under ideal circumstances, an 'energy from waste' incinerator would generate only 1.5% of Oxfordshire's energy and would most likely generate less.

Furthermore, recycling, reusing and reducing materials - rather than burning them - would save up to 4 times more energy than would be produced.

The report is available for download

http://www.greenoxford.com/documents/THE%20BURNING%20QUESTION.pdf

FMI:

Cllr. Craig Simmons

Green Group

Oxford City Council (St. Mary's Ward)

Oxfordshire County Council (East Oxford Division)

41 Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RB

Tel: 01865 202257