By MARK LONGBOTTOM ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have warned that a new plan to generate energy from burning rubbish is not a solution to pollution problems.

Bolton Friends of the Earth co-ordinator Dennis Watson claims that proposals to create a new incinerator at Raikes Lane providing energy for the National Grid could add to health risks from dangerous dioxins.

As reported in the BEN, Bolton-based Greater Manchester Waste Ltd is considering an 'energy-from-waste' incinerator among a series of options on the future of the site.

Time runs out at the end of next year for the municipal burner to fall in line with tough new European regulations on emissions.

Other options are to continue operating an upgraded incinerator at Raikes Lane, or shut it down and convert it to a waste transfer site.

FoE claim that if the 'energy-from-waste' plan goes ahead there will be a greater risk of more dioxins being released into the environment.

He said: "The process means the gas is cooled for longer and that increases the risk of dioxins escaping."

He added: "Less dioxins will escape through the flue but there will be more ash produced to dispose of. There is no way of getting cheap energy without any snags.

"It's just transferring the problem from one place to another because the ash has to be dumped in landfill sites."

But GM Waste managing director Stephen Jenkinson said: "I can assure everyone that if the energy creation plan goes ahead it will comply not only to the new EU standards but be geared to comply with the next predicted restrictions after that."

He added: "I can also assure people that a wide programme of recycling can be combined with burning waste and a good profit can still be made by selling the energy."

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