| CRACIN (Coalition for Recycling and Against Coventry Incinerator) has been formed to prevent the development of a new “Super-Incinerator” in Coventry. In addition to this we hope to raise public awareness levels of the harmful effects incinerators can cause to the environment and potentially our health.
A Super Incinerator without public consulation or a waste strategy
The Coventry Incinerator has been in operation since 1976, burning waste derived mainly from Coventry and Solihull but also taking a significant amount from Warwickshire. If the current incinerator is left to run its course then it will be due for decommissioning in 2021. Despite this Coventry City Council,  in conjunction with Warwickshire County Council and Solihull Council, have rushed through an expression of interest and outline business case to DEFRA costing 1.3 million pounds, which will give them an option to build a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) funded “Super-Incinerator”. This has been done with limited public consultation and without a waste strategy from Coventry City Council. After a great deal of effective protest from the Warwickshire public at plans to build an incinerator in Nuneaton, Warwickshire County Council are now teaming up with Coventry City Council and Solihull Council to potentially burn their waste in a proposed incinerator at Whitley, Coventry.
The proposed incinerator’s capacity is yet to be confirmed but it will certainly be bigger than the current incinerator’s capacity of 260,000 tonnes. A new incinerator funded by PFI will commit each authority’s waste strategy for the next 25 years. A large and steady flow of waste will be needed for the incinerator to burn so that contractual obligations can be me. This will undoubtedly inhibit efforts to increase recycling rates and minimise the amount of waste produced.
Incinerators emit vast amounts of climate changing gases into the air as well as other pollutants. Take action and say no to this development
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