Nannas say NO to incinerators

Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends attended a rally outside the Land & Environment Court on Tuesday about the New Generation Energy from Waste Facility at Eastern Creek. Western Sydney residents have fought off the incinerators twice but the industry hasn’t given up.

Nannas are calling for real solutions to the waste crisis, and a ban on polluting incinerators. The industry argues that Energy from Waste is a Win Win – they burn waste that’s difficult to recycle and you get electricity, so what’s the problem with that?

Why Eastern Creek Incinerator should be ruled out

TOXIC POLLUTION
Incinerators produce Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) also called “forever chemicals” such as dioxins and furans, along with heavy metals. POPs from incinerators find their way into the food chain and environment.

Incinerators don’t have filters that can stop the nano particles entering the atmosphere. There is no safe level of these pollutants, which would be added to our already polluted air.

Children are at the most risk from the pollution, and Eastern Creek is close to schools and childcare centres in densely populated suburbs.

Incineration leaves extremely toxic ash. There will be attempts to reuse it in roads and buildings, leading to leaching into the environment and further health risks.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Energy from waste produces very dirty energy. To make the same amount of energy as coal an incinerator releases 5 times as much C02, 28 times more dioxin and many times more mercury and sulfur dioxides.

THERE ARE CLEAN AND SAFE WASTE STRATEGIES
We’re at the crossroads in NSW – the Perrottet government needs to ban incineration not least because it undermines the real solutions: preventing, reducing, reusing, repurposing and recycling waste.

We can all do our bit to avoid and recycle waste, but the big changes require urgent government action.

NO INCINERATORS ANYWHERE
Two incinerators are planned for Western Sydney and others in regional NSW in areas already most affected by climate change.

Write to your state MP and candidates in the March election. Ask them to be clear about what they will do about the growing waste crisis in NSW.

Image: Rigmor Berg