Biomass plant toxic wood fear
Evening Telegraph, 2 June 2010
http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/output/2010/06/02/story15160198t0.shtm
(Go to main Dundee campaign page)
An artist’s impression of how the proposed biomass plant could look.
Dundee could end up the only UK city with two waste incinerators if Forth Energy uses preservative-treated wood in its planned biomass plant, it emerged today (writes Bruce Robbins).
Environment watchdog SEPA has warned the company a biomass plant at Dundee harbour would have the same legal footing as the Baldovie incinerator unless it can guarantee to burn only “virgin” wood.
Treated wood contains chemicals that would have be removed from the flue gas to stop the release of toxins.
The emissions controls are much more stringent for a waste incinerator than for a biomass plant, which is essentially a wood-burning stove on a giant scale.
Recovered, dry wood is often used in biomass plants to assist in the efficient combustion of woodchips that account for about 70% to 90% of their fuel.
SEPA said, “Operators of similar plants frequently choose to use waste material, such as timber coated or impregnated with preservatives, as the supplementary fuel.
“Where an installation burns waste or waste in combination with another fuel, the facility is classified as an incineration plant rather than a combustion or large combustion plant and is required to meet the stringent requirements of the Waste Incineration Directive (WID).
“It is essential that the applicant makes clear at the earliest opportunity whether the proposed facility will burn any waste materials such as treated timber.”
Bob Adam, spokesman for the campaign group Residents’ Against Tay Turbines (RATT), which also has concerns about the biomass plant, said Forth Energy now had to say if it planned to burn treated wood.
“They have been extremely careful in their choice of words, describing the material as ‘used wood’, and it’s now time for them to make their intentions clear,” he said.
“If the biomass plant would require a WID licence, then we should be asking if Dundee really needs another waste incinerator. Air quality is bad enough as it stands.
“Forth Energy is being disingenuous with regard to fuel.”
The company has said its plan is to use woodchips mixed with energy crops, paper, cardboard and recovered timber. It denied it plans to burn rubbish, but ducked the question of whether treated wood might be burned.
A spokesperson said, “The fuel for the facility will, mostly, come from sustainable sources such as virgin forest wood, energy crops and agricultural products.
“Legislation ensures that at least 90% of the fuel at biomass plants comes from renewable organic sources. In Dundee’s case, it may be environmentally beneficial to include a small element of combustible biomass waste including recovered wood, paper and cardboard. No municipal or clinical waste will be burnt in the facility.
“The impact assessments and modelling carried out by Forth Energy indicate that the proposed plant will have no significant effects on local air quality in Dundee.”
http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/output/2010/06/02/story15160198t0.shtm
(Go to main Dundee campaign page)
An artist’s impression of how the proposed biomass plant could look.
Dundee could end up the only UK city with two waste incinerators if Forth Energy uses preservative-treated wood in its planned biomass plant, it emerged today (writes Bruce Robbins).
Environment watchdog SEPA has warned the company a biomass plant at Dundee harbour would have the same legal footing as the Baldovie incinerator unless it can guarantee to burn only “virgin” wood.
Treated wood contains chemicals that would have be removed from the flue gas to stop the release of toxins.
The emissions controls are much more stringent for a waste incinerator than for a biomass plant, which is essentially a wood-burning stove on a giant scale.
Recovered, dry wood is often used in biomass plants to assist in the efficient combustion of woodchips that account for about 70% to 90% of their fuel.
SEPA said, “Operators of similar plants frequently choose to use waste material, such as timber coated or impregnated with preservatives, as the supplementary fuel.
“Where an installation burns waste or waste in combination with another fuel, the facility is classified as an incineration plant rather than a combustion or large combustion plant and is required to meet the stringent requirements of the Waste Incineration Directive (WID).
“It is essential that the applicant makes clear at the earliest opportunity whether the proposed facility will burn any waste materials such as treated timber.”
Bob Adam, spokesman for the campaign group Residents’ Against Tay Turbines (RATT), which also has concerns about the biomass plant, said Forth Energy now had to say if it planned to burn treated wood.
“They have been extremely careful in their choice of words, describing the material as ‘used wood’, and it’s now time for them to make their intentions clear,” he said.
“If the biomass plant would require a WID licence, then we should be asking if Dundee really needs another waste incinerator. Air quality is bad enough as it stands.
“Forth Energy is being disingenuous with regard to fuel.”
The company has said its plan is to use woodchips mixed with energy crops, paper, cardboard and recovered timber. It denied it plans to burn rubbish, but ducked the question of whether treated wood might be burned.
A spokesperson said, “The fuel for the facility will, mostly, come from sustainable sources such as virgin forest wood, energy crops and agricultural products.
“Legislation ensures that at least 90% of the fuel at biomass plants comes from renewable organic sources. In Dundee’s case, it may be environmentally beneficial to include a small element of combustible biomass waste including recovered wood, paper and cardboard. No municipal or clinical waste will be burnt in the facility.
“The impact assessments and modelling carried out by Forth Energy indicate that the proposed plant will have no significant effects on local air quality in Dundee.”
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