Barnet councillors back Edmonton incinerator project

Green Party councillors who now lead the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) have stated they have no alternative but to continue with the construction of a new incinerator at Edmonton Eco Park. The authority, which includes councillors from Barnet, serves approximately two million residents across seven boroughs.

The Green Party had previously pledged to explore all options to cancel the project before the May local elections. However, upon taking control of the NLWA, they described the situation as inheriting a "poisoned chalice," stating that continuing with the incinerator or facing bankruptcy were the only choices. This decision was communicated in a statement from the board’s seven controlling members.

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Financial and Political Context

The NLWA is composed of councillors from Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest. In their statement, the Green leadership acknowledged an instinctive opposition to burning waste but emphasised a need to confront reality. They attributed the current predicament to "political mismanagement by the previous Labour-controlled board."

The authority claims to have renegotiated the contract with the construction contractor, Acciona, to lessen the financial impact on taxpayers. New checks and balances have also been introduced to prevent a recurrence of what the Greens describe as "disorder" that has affected the project. The NLWA is also seeking national government support for initiatives aimed at increasing recycling and food waste collection across the boroughs.

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Jacob Cable, a senior Hackney councillor and NLWA chief, previously stated that abandoning the project would be financially "devastating" for the boroughs involved. The existing waste burner at Edmonton was commissioned in 1971 and is scheduled to operate until 2030. The new facility was initially planned to be operational by 2027 but has faced construction delays attributed to factors including Brexit, the war in Ukraine, and rising interest rates.

The project, approved in 2017, has drawn opposition from resident groups such as Stop the Edmonton Incinerator Now, who have raised concerns about potential increases in waste demand and the release of harmful airborne particles. The previous administration, led by former Waltham Forest Labour councillor Clyde Loakes, had assured residents that the plant would meet environmental standards and serve as a model for future projects.

The energy-from-waste plant is designed to employ selective catalytic reduction technology to convert nitrogen oxide into water and nitrogen, alongside a combined dry/wet scrubber system for particle capture.