Incinerator 'likely' to be built in Canford Magna, says Environment Agency
People from Canford Magna, Merley and Bearwood are ‘heartbroken’ that plans for an incinerator in the area could be approved
More than a thousand people are furious that an incinerator is “likely” to be built near Canford Magna.
The company behind the plans want to burn up to 260,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste in the incinerator each year.
That’s despite concerns being raised around harms to human health, the local ecosystem and production of Co2.
Campaigner, Sarah Pascoe told us: “It's horrendous. These chemicals and the plume generated from the incinerator can travel hundreds of miles so inevitably will blow over all of us.
“We're on such an uphill battle to stop ruining our environment because of projects like this.
“We aren’t NIMBY’s, this is all our backyards yet we've made the whole world into one big litterbox and now we just keep adding to it.”
The proposed facility will, if given permission, burn waste to produce energy (electricity) which will be exported to the National Grid.
But campaigners from the ‘Magwatch’ Facebook group have voiced their concerns about the environmental impact the incinerator will have and what it will mean for rare species in the surrounding heathlands.
Sara Pascoe said: “If the incinerator is approved it will undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on wildlife, ecosystems as well as our health.
“I also imagine it would reduce the attractiveness of living right in the area and also be a reason for people to stop coming and visiting the area.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "Following earlier consultations, we have now reached the stage where we are likely to grant the permit, having received all of the necessary information from the applicant, MVV Environment Ltd.
"This does not mean a final decision has been taken, only that we will grant the permit unless we receive new information that gives cause for not allowing it.
The Environment Agency says the last chance for people to give their views on the proposed incinerator for the site on the Canford Resource Park is May 23rd.