New scientific report condemns incinerators as threat to human health

11 May, 2001

waste incinerator

Labour Party isolated as the only party that favours waste incineration

A new report published today by Greenpeace reveals a wide body of evidence demonstrating the negative health impacts of waste incineration. These include cancers, heart disease, birth defects, allergies and breathing problems. Despite these health concerns, new political analysis shows that the Labour Party are the only mainstream party that favours incineration. Current Government plans identify more than 100 potential new incinerators, despite widespread public opposition and the fact that both Tories and Lib Dems are seeking a moratorium.

The report, called Incineration and Human Health, is a comprehensive review of all available scientific data on the impacts of incineration on human health and the effects of specific chemicals discharged from incinerators.

Greenpeace toxics campaigner Mark Strutt said

"This review makes it clear that by any reasonable assessment of the available evidence it is reckless and harmful to continue the incineration of domestic waste. Rather than proposing a massive expansion in the number of incinerators, the Government should be shutting them down as soon as possible."

"Labour are clearly the party of incineration. Their waste policy compromises any attempts to appear green and they will suffer the political consequences of attempting to foist more than 100 incinerators on an unwilling public."

People living near incinerators risk exposure to a range of toxic chemicals by breathing contaminated air or by eating contaminated produce like vegetables, eggs and milk, or by skin contact with contaminated soil. The most notorious by-products of burning rubbish are dioxins, which are formed when substances that contain chlorine like PVC are burnt. Dioxins are highly toxic and accumulate in the food chain. One of the dioxin family has been described as the most toxic chemical known to science.

Numerous studies confirm that a typical incinerator releases a cocktail of toxic chemicals, including dioxins, lead, cadmium, mercury and fine particles, into the atmosphere. However, there has been little follow up investigation into the effects of these poisons on people near incinerators. Despite this, Incineration and Human Health contains some worrying findings, for example:

A study conducted on 70 municipal waste incinerators in the UK operating between 1974 and 1987, and 307 hospital waste incinerators from 1953 to 1980, identified a 2-fold increase in the cancer deaths in children living nearby. These results were consistent with a second study showing increased child cancers for hospital incinerators and large scale, high temperature combustion industries (study dates 1998 and 2000).

In 1996, a study on residents living in an urban area in Italy found a 6.7-fold increase in deaths from lung cancer.

A study in 1989 on people working at a Swedish incinerator between 1920 and 1985 found a 3.5-fold increase in deaths from lung cancer, and a 1.5-fold increase in deaths from cancer of the oesophagus. The same study also found an excess of ischemic heart disease, especially in workers with more than 40 years exposure.

In the UK it is often argued that 'new' incinerators that were built or upgraded after new laws came into force in 1996 to clean up incinerators, are much superior to older plants, eliminating many health concerns. This is far from the truth. Modern incinerators still emit large quantities of toxic chemicals into the air. Reductions of some compounds emitted to air have been achieved, but these are merely transferred to ashes, which are dumped in landfills, where the chemicals may leach out. Some incinerators have been mixing the toxic waste ashes with building aggregate to be used in road building, leaving a toxic heritage for future generations.

Strutt added
"Not enough is known about the full toxic legacy of Britain's incinerators. But the evidence compiled in this report makes it clear that it would be reckless for the Government or any planning authority of good conscience to allow another incinerator application to go ahead."

Notes for editors:
Incineration and Human Health is available in full and abridged versions from the Greenpeace Press Office, or click on full report at the top of this page to download the abridged version.

Conservative Party position on incineration:
"We will introduce a moratorium on new incinerators until independent British scientific evidence proves they are safe." A Cleaner Greener Britain: a Blue Green Approach to Waste and Recycling

"Conservatives have already condemned the Government for relying too heavily on the incineration of rubbish, rather than recycling. The findings of this report show that the government may not only be ignoring its environment responsibilities, but may also be ignoring its safety responsibilities."
Damian Green MP press release, 30 October 2000, on the DETR report which predicts that new incinerators could lead to 349 deaths a year.

"The Prime Minister has already proved he is profoundly uninterested in the environment and is fooling no-one with this sudden burst of concernFour years of failure on green issues cannot be repaired by one speech The Government's environmental failures include: plans to build dozens of new incinerators instead of encouraging recycling of household waste."
Damian Green press release, 5 March 2001, before Blair's WWF/RIIA speech.

Liberal Democrat position on incineration:
"Liberal Democrat proposals would see a massive increase in recycling, re-use and waste minimisation and a reduction in landfill without resorting to unpopular, dangerous incinerators."
Tom Brake speaking at the launch of the Liberal Democrat Waste Charter, 23 May 2000

"Liberal Democrats want to see: a presumption against landfill and incineration and in favour of recycling and composting."
Liberal Democrat Waste Charter May 2000