Serious 'concerns' over £100million incinerator proposals as MSP voices objection

MSP Sharon Dowey has voiced her “serious concerns” over the proposed £100m incinerator at the Barr Killoch site near Ochiltree.

The controversial proposals have so far received 1,174 objections — with an additional 500 signed individual objections handed in at East Ayrshire Council’s headquarters.

Protestors point to the environmental impact of the scheme as well as the effect it will have on the appearance of the area.

Now Ms Dowey, South Scotland Conservative MSP, has come out to voice her opposition.

She said: “There’s many reasons why the incinerator shouldn’t go ahead, first and foremost the environmental impact it’s going to have on Ochiltree and the surrounding area.

“I’ve met with local residents to see how the development will cause issues and I have serious concerns.

“The Scottish Conservatives have been very clear that there should be a moratorium on any further incinerators in Scotland.

“They’re bad for the environment and have no place in a Net Zero Scotland. We should be recycling our rubbish, not burning it.”

There’s been a long standing campaign waged against the proposals.

And in November last year, a team of health professionals issued a dire warning that the proposed energy-from-waste incinerator plant would “hasten the deaths of local residents for decades to come.”

The damning assessment came from the Ayrshire & Arran respiratory managed clinical network (RMCN), who said plans to build the incinerator near Ochiltree should be rejected.

South Scotland Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey (UGC)

Ms Dowey added: “This incinerator needs to be stopped.”

Behind the proposals are Barr Environmental, who want the incinerator at their Killoch site.

They previously had planning consent for an energy-from-waste facility at their plant, using gasification technology.

Now they want to update that consent through a new planning application to make use of more energy efficient ‘moving grate’ technology.

Pictured are some of the opponents to the incinerator plans during a previous demonstration outside the plant (Submitted/Ayrshire Post)

Moving grate technology converts waste into ash, flue gas and heat.

Barr Environmental say the new facility will “safely, cleanly and sustainably” manage up to 166,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste each year and generate enough electricity to meet the needs of 40,000 homes.

They claim the plans would enable Barr to create 17 new jobs and safeguard 60 which are already part of its existing operations.

Gavin Ramsey, spokesperson for Barr Environmental, said: “East Ayrshire has a significant capacity gap in terms of how we’ll manage our non-recyclable waste in coming years, so we welcome all debate on the subject and we’re always happy to address any concerns people may have.

"For example, we can provide significant assurances from an environmental perspective because we’ve already conducted careful technical assessments in accordance with Public Health Scotland and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) guidelines.

"These assessments conclude that, even using the most conservative of measures, the facility we’re proposing will be operated cleanly, safely and in a completely responsible manner.

"We’ll use continuous air quality monitoring to ensure our compliance with SEPA regulations and we’ve even committed to conducting further voluntary monitoring, away from our site, to provide additional reassurances.

"As a company that’s heavily invested in recycling, we agree with Ms Dowey that we should be recycling as much of our waste as possible and eventually eliminate the non-recyclable element of our waste altogether.

"Unfortunately, it will be many years before we’re able to reach that point and, in the meantime, there’s a very real issue that needs to be addressed in terms of sustainably managing the waste created by our homes and businesses in a cost effective, environmentally sustainable way.

"After 2025, we will not be able to send biodegradable municipal waste to landfill and anything that can’t be recycled will need to be sent to an alternative treatment process that prevents it ending up in landfill. We are offering a local solution and ensuring that waste doesn’t need to be sent to landfill for disposal.

"Instead, our technologically advanced facility will safely and sustainably manage it - and in a way that generates fewer carbon emissions than landfill. So, in considering the drive to a Net Zero Scotland, our proposals represent part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

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