Burner 'would land us in court'

AN INCINERATOR would bring greater costs than just financial ones - it would harm the environment and islanders' health, warns Environment board member David de Lisle. And it could put Guernsey in breach of international human rights treaties, he added.

Deputy de Lisle, who voted for the 2004 Ogier requete and in October submitted a minority report to the Policy Council against the board's recommendations for the energy-from-waste burner, said installing such a device would have grave consequences.

An EfW burner in Guernsey would release harmful toxins through fly and bottom ash, which could contaminate the island's water supply.

'The States has just passed the human rights legislation - in that, everyone has the right to live in a world free of toxic pollution and environmental degradation.'

The burner would, he said, also see the island in breach of the Stockholm convention, which commits countries to eliminating toxic pollution and both breaches could see people taking legal action against the States.

Incinerator ash would have to be buried in quarries, risking water pollution.

He claimed that such pollution of supplies had already taken place in Switzerland: 'Once we've contaminated the water supply in Guernsey, we've had it.'

Deputy de Lisle said savings had been made by not agreeing in 2004 to the installation of an £80m. EfW burner at Longue Hougue.

There had been no initial costs, which could have soared to more than £100m., and there had also been no 'phenomenal' running costs, which Deputy de Lisle put at about £5m. per year.

'We've been saving £5m. per year plus all the problems of disposing of the fly ash.'

He added that there should, as outlined in his minority report, be a 'zero waste' policy - through reduction, recycling and composting.