Consultation open for Wisbech incinerator permit
Environmental permit public consultation now open for comments until 2 August 2023.
The incinerator, or energy-from-waste plant, would need to meet the Environment Agency's stringent permitting system
The Environment Agency has begun a public consultation as it assesses an application by Medworth CHP Limited for an environmental permit for an energy-from-waste incinerator in Cambridgeshire.
As regulator, the Environment Agency is currently considering the company’s application and will look at whether is meets all the necessary environmental regulations. These includes whether the site will provide a high level of protection to the environment and human health.
Part of the assessment process is for members of the public to offer their comments on the proposals before the consultation closed on 2 August.
John O’Neill, an installations team leader for the Environment Agency, said:
The views of the local community on this site are hugely important and we welcome both the public and interested groups to comment.
In assessing this permit, we will complete a detailed and rigorous assessment of Medworth CHP Limited’s application. This will allow us to ensure the operating techniques and control measures at the proposed facility comply with the legal requirements of an environmental permit. Such permits are used to protect people and the environment.
Due to the nature of the application, the Environment Agency can only consider certain comments including information on local population and sensitive sites. The Environment Agency cannot consider comments about the visual impact of the site or the strength of public opinion; these are for the local authority.
The Environment Agency can accept comments on:
- Information on local population and sensitive sites, such as local houses and wildlife habitats;
- Relevant environmental regulatory requirements and technical standards. The main ones being the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) and Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).
- Comments on whether the proposed technology to be used at the site is the right one.
- Corrections to any incorrect information in the application.
The Environment Agency cannot consider comments on the following:
- Whether waste incineration is the right solution to deal with waste in that area, including whether it could have a higher impact than alternatives such as landfill;
- The visual impact of the energy-from-waste (EfW) plant;
- Strength of public opposition to plans for the EfW plant;
- The effect of the facility on global warming, other than the extent that the global warming potential of the EfW plant is controlled using best available techniques to minimise carbon dioxide emissions and nitrous oxide emissions;
- Environmental impacts of emissions that exceed the limits set out in the permit. These are instead assessed on an individual basis when they occur and followed up by appropriate compliance or enforcement action;
- Noise and traffic from outside the proposed site’s boundary.
To comment on the environmental permit consultation, please visit: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/pe13-2tq-medworth-chp-limited/
You can also email your comments to: pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Please call the Environment Agency’s National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506 for advice about how to comment, or how to view a copy of the application documents if you do not have on-line access.
More information about the application with the Planning Inspectorate can be found here.