Farmers Campaign

Please vote health yes
Incinerator NO

Norfolk County Council told us most particles in the incinerator’s pollution gasses would be captured, so the health risk would be small. A ‘Freedom of Information Act’ request to the Environment Agency showed most of the (Hazardous) particles pass through the ‘Best Available Filters’. These smaller particles are known to cause cancer, asthma and heart attacks.

Cigarettes

If you burn a cigarette most people accept the smoke is harmful. If you add a filter tip most people now realise the smoke still causes cancer.

Please note!
As recently as 1995, a tobacco industry representative, Professor Jim Bridges, argued their products are not proven to harm health. He also works on behalf of the incinerator industry and makes similar claims regarding incineration emissions. He also produced the ‘Official Risk Assessment’ used in Norfolk County Council presentations.

Asbestos.

Most people now accept asbestos dust is harmful to health.

A complete sheet of asbestos is fairly safe until it is damaged or broken up.

Sieve/Filter capturing 99% of the pieces/dust by weight, leaving 1% to be dispersed in your living area. Would you feel safe?

If you crush a sheet of asbestos most people would accept the crushed material is hazardous. If you used a sieve or filter to capture 99% of the pieces most people would still realise the remaining dust is harmful and not want it spread in their living area or scattered across West Norfolk.

Domestic Waste

By it’s very nature, domestic waste contains a complex mixture including heavy metals, plastics and diverse compounds.

If 99% of the larger particles are captured.

1% by weight represents a vast amount of fine particles spread across West Norfolk.

If you burn rubbish most people know the smoke is harmful. The Government & EU recognise small particles seriously damage health there is no safe exposure limit. When a company selling an incinerator tells you a bag filter will capture 99% (by weight) of particles, is there any reason to think the smaller particles which escape do not pose a threat to health? November 2009 the Health Protection Agency admitted to Parliament they haven’t conducted any health studies.

In conclusion

Dirty industries have influenced decision makers and damaged health for decades before people realised what the problems were. Incinerators are better than they once were but the majority of hazardous particles still pass through pollution filters, fine particles pose a serious risk to health and are known to cause cancer.