16 January 2018
Keith Taylor MEP voices concerns about proposed waste incineration plant in Newhaven
Keith Taylor, Green MEP for Sussex, has written to the Environmental Health team at Lewes District Council to voice his concerns about Medipower Ltd’s permit application for a medical waste incineration plant at Newhaven port.
In his letter, Mr Taylor raised questions about the application process in general, air quality, and biodiversity among other issues. Commenting on the application process, he said:
“The application site has not been identified in the East Sussex County Waste and Minerals Plan as being considered for incineration use. Had this been the case, I do believe many local residents would have objected to the proposal, especially given the existing issues concerning air quality and incineration in Newhaven. Constituents who have written to me about the scheme to build the Medipower medical waste incinerator are rightly worried that exhaust gases from incinerating medical waste might be both toxic and carcinogenic, and I urge the local authority to take these concerns seriously.”
New report shows fracking has no place in a 25-year environment plan for Britain – Green MEP
Green MEP for the South East and vocal anti-fracking campaigner Keith Taylor has slammed Theresa May’s policy-free 25 Year Environment Plan.
The plan, launched on the same day as a report by NASA revealed the fossil fuel industry is driving the rise in global methane emissions, has been much-delayed and neglects to mention the Government’s support for fracking in England.
Mr Taylor, a member of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee, said:
“In launching the Government’s new plan, Theresa May rightly identified the scourge of plastic pollution as one of the most urgent problems facing Britain and the planet. It is just a huge disappointment that the 25 Year Environmental Plan doesn’t actually offer any concrete policies to tackle the issue. It also ignores the fact that plastic pollution is just one of the urgent and interconnected environmental challenges Britain faces in the next 25 years.”
Tories are desperately trying to claim EU achievements for themselves – Greens
Responding to the news that the EU-wide rules on credit card fees have come into force today, announced in the UK without reference to the EU, Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East and a member of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee, said:
“The Government has been keen to herald two policies this week; the welcome ban on rip off credit card charges and the extension of the successful plastic bag charge. It seems, however, the Tories have conveniently forgotten that both of these policies are, in fact, EU directives.”
“Theresa May and her cabinet Brexiteers are keen to take the credit but afraid of admitting the truth: these policies are exactly the kind of consumer protection and positive environmental action put at risk by their shambolic pursuit of a cliff edge Brexit that ejects Britain from the Single Market.”