The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced a temporary pause on the issuance of environmental permits for new waste incineration facilities in England.
The directive, issued by Sir Mark Spencer MP, Minister responsible for waste incineration, targets a temporary halt on the determination of environmental permits for facilities focused primarily on energy recovery through waste incineration, including Energy from Waste and Advanced Thermal Treatment plants.
This pause, effective immediately until 24 May 2024, does not impact permits for hazardous or clinical waste incineration facilities, small waste incineration plants, or significant permit variations for incinerators that are developing carbon capture and storage provisions.
I am writing to inform you that I am issuing a Direction to the Environment Agency, under regulation 62 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, to temporarily pause the determination of environmental permits for new waste incineration facilities, including Energy from Waste and Advanced Thermal Treatment
The letter states: “On reflection of your response and my concerns set out previously with regard to further expanding England’s waste incineration capacity, and the risks this poses to our objectives and environmental obligations, I am writing to inform you that I am issuing a Direction to the Environment Agency, under regulation 62 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, to temporarily pause the determination of environmental permits for new waste incineration facilities, including Energy from Waste and Advanced Thermal Treatment.”
The move comes after a series of communications between Sir Mark Spencer and Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, reflecting concerns about the expansion of England’s waste incineration capacity and its potential conflict with the country’s environmental objectives and obligations.
Defra’s decision is part of a broader evaluation of the role of waste incineration in managing residual wastes in England.
The temporary directive aims to provide Defra officials with the opportunity to conduct a thorough review of the incineration sector’s impact on the environment and its alignment with the nation’s waste management strategies.
“Political theatre”
Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Jacob Hayler, said: “The instruction by Defra to pause the determination of environmental permits for vital, high-performing, infrastructure is both out-of-the-blue and raises procedural questions that are likely to impact business confidence in the UK.
“Energy-from-waste facilities provide a vital public service and continue, after decades of use, to offer the safest and lowest-carbon viable treatment solution for the nation’s rubbish left over after recycling, at a time when England still sends millions of tonnes of residual waste to landfill and a further 1.5 million tonnes abroad each year.
We understand that an EfW capacity study has been undertaken by Defra for some time now, so this unilateral measure to pause permit applications appears to be an unnecessary and unwelcome piece of political theatre
“We understand that an EfW capacity study has been undertaken by Defra for some time now, so this unilateral measure to pause permit applications appears to be an unnecessary and unwelcome piece of political theatre.
“In practice, a two-month pause is unlikely to have a significant impact on projects in the context of, what is typically, a lengthy permit determination process – but our industry and investors will undoubtedly be keen to understand the motivations as well as the scope and outcomes of the Defra study that has prompted this pause.”