Above is an impression of the proposed incinerator in a location between Appleford and Didcot power station, montaged to scale in a photograph taken from Appleford Church. The chimney is 95m high (same height as cooling tower) and the buiding is approx. half that height at 45m. Contrary to WRG publicity its scale is such that tree planting on the perimeter of the site will do little to reduce its impact on the surrounding villages and landscape.

WITTENHAMS AGAINST THE INCINERATOR

Welcome to the Wittenhams on the web. Our aim is to provide information of our campaign to raise awareness about the proposed incinerator in Sutton Courtenay. Click here to view the proposed location.

BY SAYING NO
YOU ARE SAYING YES
TO ALTERNATIVE WASTE DISPOSAL STRATEGY
AND SAYING YES TO MORE TRANSPARENCY

Read more about the Witai campaign and why we feel that the proposed incinerator is the not the most appropriate waste disposal strategy for Oxfordshire - Download here

Planning is a 2-part process: 1. Planning application. 2. Environmental Permit application to the Environment Agency. The public consultation is now closed.

• Details of points on how to object can be found here.

What does Caroline Lucas our MEP say about the incinerator?
"The proposed incinerator is the wrong technology in the wrong place! It is a crude, short-term method of dealing with growing waste disposal problems. If Oxfordshire County Council are really serious about reducing the need for landfill, they should consider more environmentally friendly technologies, such as Mechanical and Biological Treatment (MBT), instead of tying Oxfordshire into a 25 year contract with uncertain long-term environmental and financial costs".

What does Kent County Council's environment spokesman, Councillor Keith Ferrin, say about their decision to build an incinerator*?
"The people who thought they were being very clever and economical with people’s money ten years ago have produced a situation where the reverse is true, as KCC is now committed to a contract we can’t get out of.
“What seemed a very wise decision a very long time ago is a very stupid one today.”
He added: “At the time, people were saying nationally that this was the only way ahead.
“But if you make a prediction for 10 years' time, the only thing you can be certain of is that it will be the wrong decision."
Click here to read the full article dated March 17th 2009

* Ten years ago, KCC signed a 25 year deal with Kent Enviropower (owned by WRG) to provide them with 320,000 tonnes of waste to burn each year.

Human 'NO' - WHAT A SUCCESS
Thank you all that attended the big NO event on Sunday 8th March but your work is not done just yet - This campaign is really picking up speed and the event has significantly raised the profile of the proposal so let's keep the momentum up and write those letters of objection to the council.

A full report of the day can be found here.

• See events for more details

What WRG says about the proposed Energy from Waste incinerator in Sutton Courtenay
"The Gases from the EfW incineration process are treated to remove fine particles of ash together with salts and traces of heavy metals and dioxins. Because of their alkalinity, these residues, known as Air Pollution Control Residues (APC) are regarded as hazardous and could be harmful to health and the environment. They need to be handled and disposed of under strict conditions in specially designated landfill sites. This waste will be transported in sealed road tankers to a hazardous waste landfill area on the Sutton Courtenay site. The total amount of hazardous waste that would be landfilled each year would be about 15,000 tonnes, or 5 per cent of the total waste going into the EfW plant."

"When waste is burned ash is produced. This "bottom ash" will be moved by a covered conveyor to a processing plant next to the EfW. Scrap metals will be removed for recycling and the remainder can be re-used as an aggregate, so most of it does not have to be landfilled. This ash amounts to about 24% by weight of the waste delivered to the EfW plant."

Visit the WRG website to pick up their document for the Sutton Courtenay incinerator by clicking here

The Environment Agency's press release can been viewed here.