UPDATED: Operating permit GRANTED for Portland incinerator

An operating permit has been granted today (Thursday 17th February) for a controversial waste incinerator on Portland.

The Environment Agency has approved an application from Powerfuel Portland, saying they've 'met all the necessary criteria' needed.

They've also said the decision follows 'a number of consultations'.

The permit sets the conditions for things like emissions and monitoring them; operation of the plant; and the amount and type of waste that can be accepted.

It also limits the waste that can be incinerated to refuse derived fuel – produced from domestic municipal solid waste and commercial & industrial waste unsuitable for recycling.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “We have carefully considered all of the submissions we received during the various consultations, and we thank everyone who took the time to contact us with their views.”

But this approval is completely separate to planning permission for the incinerator, which is currently undergoing a judicial review.

Hearings are scheduled at the Royal Courts of Justice, with many campaigners from Portland against the development expected to attend.

The Environment Agency say they 'don't consider the outcome of that process would impact our conclusions on the permit'.

Cllr Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council, said:

"I am deeply disappointed that the Environment Agency has decided to grant a permit for the proposed waste incinerator on Portland. It is likely that this facility will not adhere to the government's own newly tightened rules on future waste incineration. We will continue to fight alongside the residents of Portland against the incinerator. It is not needed and, even if it were, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is entirely the wrong location for it.”

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