THE campaign against a proposed tyre-burning factory in East Kilbride
has been boosted by a move from its Euro MP.
MEP Ken Collins is chairman of the European Parliament's environment
committee, and he has called on East Kilbride Development Corporation to
reject the plans.
Two weeks ago, an environmental impact assessment, carried out
independently for developer Elm Energy, said the proposals for the plant
met world standards on pollution.
However, Mr Collins, Labour MEP for Strathclyde East, who has chaired
the EC environment committee for 11 years, says the assessment presents
certain inadequacies.
A special meeting of East Kilbride District Council is also likely
this week to recommend that the corporation, which has the final say on
the matter, opposes the factory.
Thousands of local people have signed a petition against the plant. A
pressure group, East Kilbride Against the Tyre Incinerator, has been set
up.
The group is concerned that emissions from the plant would cause a
health risk, particularly to asthma sufferers, and that the proposed
site is too near housing and Hairmyres Hospital.
Mr Collins has just completed a study of the environmental statement
provided by Wimpey Environmental Limited in support of the plant. He
said the study had also been assessed by EC officials who were experts
in environmental matters.
The MEP, in a letter to chairman of the corporation, Mr Alan Denholm,
says the statement ''does enable some conclusions to be drawn on the
environmental acceptability of the plant''.
However, he continues: ''There is nothing which enables a judgment to
be made about whether this project is the most preferable option for
recycling tyres or whether this site is in any way superior to others.''
He argues that alternative solutions for tyre recycling are hardly
discussed and no details or reasons for selecting the East Kilbride site
are given.
Mr Collins goes on: ''There is either insufficient information or a
total lack of information about the main alternatives which have been
studied.''
He calls on the corporation to reject the planning application in
light of public opinion, the views of the district council, and the
inadequacies of the report.
Councillor Colin Robb, leader of the Labour-controlled council, said
yesterday: ''While on technical grounds we cannot find any faults with
the proposals, a public opinion survey has shown that people in the town
are overwhelmingly against it.''
No-one could be reached for comment at East Kilbride Development
Corporation yesterday. It is expected to announce its decision on the
planning application within the next two weeks.
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