Sludge Watch ==> Scotland - old incinerator burning sludge pellets - waiting for new plant

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

In Europe, the dirty old incinerators are being phased out while new energy 
biomass plants with better pollution controls are built.

The  antique Scottish Longannet power plant is co-firing coal and sludge 
pellets and has very bad emissions.  Scottish authorities have asserted that 
burning the sludge is less toxic in the environment than land application of 
the sludge - even if it means burning it in one of the most polluting 
facilities in Europe.  They propose to continue the incineration at the old 
plant until a new cleaner plant is built.  People are upset that the life of 
the toxic old incinerator will extend to 2010 but rural residents don't want 
to see any more land application.  They have been looking at 400 tons of 
sludge per acre on forested lands, and they are disgusted.

Scottish Water produces more than 110,000 tonnes of sewage sludge each year.

48% is converted to a fuel and used in electricity generation (all to 
Longannet)
27% is applied to non-agricultural land
23% is applied to agricultural land
2% is disposed of to landfill

.....................................................


Taxpayers face massive legal bill over illegal burning of sewage
By Rob Edwards, Environment Editor
Leaked memo reveals watchdog and power firm are flouting law


Sunday Herald
May 6 2007

TAXPAYERS COULD be lumbered with a large legal bill because Scotland's 
environment watchdog is allowing 200,000 tonnes of sewage sludge to be 
illegally burned in a polluting power station.

A secret Scottish Executive memo, leaked to the Sunday Herald, reveals that 
the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has made a deal that 
enables sludge to be incinerated at Longannet power station for four years, 
in breach of European law.

The memo, to the first minister Jack McConnell last year, warns that 
Scottish ministers risk being taken to court by the European Commission and 
landed with substantial costs as a result.

advertisementThe revelations have provoked an angry response from 
environmentalists, who are demanding action from the incoming Scottish 
Executive. "Something really stinks about this whole situation, and it's not 
just the sewage," said Friends of the Earth Scotland.

Half of Scotland's sewage sludge - 50,000 tonnes a year - is burned 
alongside coal at Longannet, near Kincardine on the Firth of Forth. The 
plant, run by Scottish Power, has long topped Scotland's pollution league, 
belching out tens of thousands of tonnes of toxins.

The sludge is supplied by Scottish Water and turned into dried pellets at 
Scottish Power's Daldowie plant in Glasgow. Other sludge is spread on to 
land.

Sludge-burning at Longannet became embroiled in a high-court battle in 2004 
after Sepa alleged emissions breached European pollution limits. This was 
denied by Scottish Power.

The argument hinged on whether the sludge pellets should be defined as waste 
under the European Waste Incineration Directive. The Court of Session in 
Edinburgh ruled the pellets were waste, and ordered Longannet to cease 
burning them by December 28, 2005.

But Scottish Power appealed the ruling and carried on incinerating sludge at 
Longannet. On April 13, 2006, the company was served with an enforcement 
notice by Sepa which, instead of requiring the burning to stop, insisted 
progress was made on building a new, less-polluting power plant to take the 
sludge.

ScottishPower has since applied for planning permission for the new plant to 
be built at Longannet. The original aim was to have it up and running in 
2009, but that has now slipped to 2010.

The leaked memo to McConnell from a senior executive official explains the 
deal done by Sepa and Scottish Power. In exchange for Sepa allowing time for 
a plant to be built, the company would take no action on its legal appeal, 
and "drop it at an appropriate point", the memo said.

But this could "expose Scotland and the UK to infraction proceedings" from 
the European Commission, the memo warned. "We have discussed this course of 
action with Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), who 
are supportive but emphasised that, should infraction proceedings be taken, 
Scotland would be liable for any costs."

Duncan McLaren, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: 
"This cosy little arrangement could end up costing the Scottish taxpayer 
many thousands of pounds."

He pointed out that Sepa and ScottishPower had known for seven years that 
burning the sewage was illegal. "Scotland deserves a modern sewage 
management system that recovers the nutrients and energy without putting 
health and the environment at risk. Sepa must drive that transition as fast 
as possible, not turn a blind eye to illegal practices."

Sepa denied collaborating with Scottish Power to break the law. The action 
it had taken requiring an update on progress with the new plant every three 
months was "appropriate and proportionate", said a Sepa spokeswoman.

"It is considered that presently there is not an environmentally better 
option to deal with the quantity of sludge involved. Sepa is continually 
monitoring that position and the operations of the site."

Scottish Power agreed that continued sludge-burning at Longannet was "the 
best practical environmental option for the immediate future".

A spokesman added: "The new plant, going through the planning process, will 
provide a long-term, secure and sustainable solution for the disposal of 
sewage while supplying green energy and helping meet renewable targets."


http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1379943.0.taxpayers_face_massive_legal_bill_over_illegal_burning_of_sewage.php