Request
I would like to know:
1. What percentage of the waste that is incinerated at the Edmonton EcoPark is generated by households?
2. What percentage of the waste that is incinerated at the Edmonton EcoPark is generated by industrial processes e.g. construction, demolition and evacuation?
3. What percentage of the household waste that is incinerated at the Edmonton EcoPark is recyclable?
4. What percentage of the household waste that is incinerated at the Edmonton EcoPark is compostable?
5. Does the Edmonton EcoPark incinerate plastics (whether recyclable or not)? If so, is this the safest way possible of disposing of waste plastics?
6. How much carbon dioxide did the Edmonton EcoPark emit in 2019, directly from waste incineration i.e. not offset against anything else?
7. Do you agree that the incineration of 1 tonne of waste directly produces 1 tonne of carbon dioxide? If not, please tell me what you believe is the true value and your source.
Response
2. North London Waste Authority (NLWA) Response
2.1 This request is being handled under the Environmental Information Regulations (EiR) 2004 and has been allocated the reference number 2020-89[1] and we respond as follows:
2.2 In regards to your questions 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 above, your request has now been considered and unfortunately we are unable to provide the information you have requested because the Authority does not hold the information you have requested and this response accordingly acts as a refusal notice under the Environmental Information Regulations (EiR). We are therefore making an exemption to the release of the information under Regulation 12 (4) of the EiR, namely that the Authority does not hold the information. The Edmonton EcoPark energy-from-waste facility is operated by LondonEnergy Ltd, not by North London Waste Authority so we would recommend contacting LondonEnergy Ltd if you have any questions about the composition of the waste they handle through the energy-from-waste facility. Please note that North London Waste Authority only handles local authority collected waste, i.e. waste collected by the seven north London boroughs.
2.3 In regards to your question about what percentage of the waste that is incinerated at the Edmonton EcoPark is generated by households (1.1) you may find it helpful to refer to the response provided by LondonEnergy Ltd to a similar request for information last year (our reference 036) which is available in the scheme of publication on our website at https://www.nlwa.gov.uk/ourauthority/scheme-of-publications/enquiry-waste-being-burned-your-waste-energy-facility-edmonton
2.4 In regards to your question 1.5 above, yes the Edmonton EcoPark energy-from-waste facility does incinerate plastics. North London Waste Authority encourages residents to reduce and recycle plastic in preference to disposing of it - whether that be to energy-from-waste or to landfill. The reason for us encouraging people to reduce and recycle plastic is based upon the ‘waste hierarchy’ which sets out the most to least desirable options for managing waste in line with environmental impact rather than safety. That being said, LondonEnergy Ltd is regulated by the Environment Agency (EA) and complies with the conditions of its permit as issued by the Environment Agency which sets out what it is able to burn in line with environmental and health considerations. The permit allows the plant to accept plastic.
2.5 In regards to your question (1.6) about carbon dioxide emissions in 2019, your request has now been considered and unfortunately we are unable to provide the information you have requested because the Authority does not hold the information you have requested and this response accordingly acts as a refusal notice under the Environmental Information Regulations (EiR). We are therefore making an exemption to the release of the information under Regulation 12 (4) of the EiR, namely that the Authority does not hold the information. The Edmonton EcoPark energy-from-waste facility is operated by LondonEnergy Ltd, not by North London Waste Authority so we would recommend contacting LondonEnergy Ltd for any questions about the emissions from the existing facility.
2.6 In regards to your question 1.7 above, the North London Waste Authority methodology for counting carbon impact is set out in the Carbon Impact Screening Report (section 3), which is available free-of-charge to the public on the North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP) website: http://northlondonheatandpower.london/media/dgydyjpw/nlwa-carbon-impact-study-report.pdf
Yours sincerely,
