Inquiry demanded over waste plan

Sita has promised to reduce by 90% the amount of waste going to tips

A £500m contract to manage waste disposal in Cornwall for 30 years has been awarded to French company Sita.

At a county council debate on Tuesday, 35 councillors voted in favour, 28 against, and four abstained.

The contract includes plans for a waste incinerator, which will also create energy, and more recycling facilities.

But the county's five MPs are pressing ministers for a public inquiry into the move to ensure it is not a "rushed" decision.

Extra recycling

The county produces 440,000 tons of waste each year and landfill space is running out.

Sita has promised to reduce by 90% the amount of household waste going to landfill sites. An incinerator is due to be built in the county as part of the plans.

The council said that as well as an incinerator, it would be increasing recycling with six extra centres at Penzance, Truro, Redruth, Newquay, Launceston and Falmouth.

Adam Paynter, the council's executive member for environment, said the contract would be signed in a few weeks time.

He said "We now start sorting out the minute details of the contract. Then we'll be looking at various planning applications for the different parts of the infrastructure that will need to be built to deal with Cornwall's waste.

"The waste to energy plant [incinerator] is part of it."

Government pressure

However, Cornwall's five Liberal Democrat MPs are pressing ministers for a full public inquiry into the incinerator plans.

Colin Breed, Andrew George, Julia Goldsworthy, Dan Rogerson and Matthew Taylor said that government pressure for a solution to Cornwall's waste should not lead to a "rushed" solution taken in County Hall alone.

Mr Taylor said: "We understand the pressure County Hall is under from government policy to build an incinerator.

"But there is no way such a fundamental decision for Cornwall should go ahead until it has been subject to scrutiny at a full public inquiry. Then everyone has the chance to have their voice heard and to test whether there are not better solutions to Cornwall's waste."