The owners of a controversial incinerator plant have defended the project amid criticism from an Irvine pressure group.
Irvine Without Incinerators is running a strong campaign against Oldhall energy recovery facility which is being built in the town, with letters recently delivered to North Ayrshire councillors and officials.
Friends of the Earth Scotland say the emissions can cause breathing problems and there is a report which says there is a very high rate of respiratory problems in North Ayrshire.
And the group is contacting the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to urge it not to grant a licence to the facility.
However, Doveryard Ltd insists the plant will have environmental benefits and that there are no health and safety issues.
A spokesperson for the company said: "The evidence to support the safety of energy-from-waste facilities is overwhelming.
"It is a tried and tested technology, and a clean and safe way of treating waste that cannot economically or practically be recycled any further, with similar facilities operating all over the UK, Europe and the world.
“Importantly, facilities like these divert waste that would otherwise be going to landfill. The Oldhall energy recovery facility was granted planning permission over two years prior to the moratorium on further new facilities being put in place.
“It will deal with waste that cannot be economically or practically recycled, helping to meet the gap for treatment of post-recycled waste arising from the Scottish landfill ban which comes into effect in 2025.
“This is vital because landfill produces a combination of carbon dioxide and methane, a greenhouse gas that is roughly 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping radiation in the atmosphere.
“Landfill also results in land contamination issues, as it leaves a legacy of toxic chemicals which are potentially hazardous for decades.
"This facility, therefore, prevents this from happening and helps the Scottish Government to meet its net zero targets."
The firm added: "As part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) prepared to support the planning application, a detailed independent assessment of the potential effects on air quality was carried out, looking at emissions from the stack, as well as HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) visiting the facility.
"The assessment concluded that all health and safety requirements were met.
“The facility will operate under strict SEPA permit conditions. The project is currently working with SEPA to gain its pollution prevention and control (PPC) permit. SEPA determined that a 70-metre stack represented best available technology (BAT) for the facility, hence the increase from 60m.
“We would encourage anyone concerned about the technology to visit SEPA’s website where they will find independent information on how human health and the environment are protected."
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