Energy from Waste Plant: Incinerator Emission Data: Publication on Internet

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A decision made 21 October 2011 regarding:

Decision Reference: MD-T-2011-0108
Decision Summary Title :	P167/2011 – Incinerator Emissions Data: Publication on Internet - Amendment		Date of Decision Summary:	21 October 2011
Decision Summary Author:	Acting Director Waste Strategy		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	P167/2011 – Incinerator Emissions Data: Publication on Internet - Amendment		Date of Written Report:	21 October 2011
Written Report Author:	Acting Director Waste Strategy		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: P167/2011 – Incinerator Emissions Data: Publication on Internet - Amendment
Decision(s): The Minister approved the amendment to Proposition 167/2011 and instructed the Chief Officer to arrange for the amendment to be lodged `Au Greffe’ before 28 October 2011, for the scheduled debate on 01 November 2011.
Reason(s) for Decision: To enable the Transport and Technical Services Department to fulfil its original commitment to publish relevant incinerator emissions data on the internet.
Resource Implications: Cost of staff time in preparation of information and uploading onto internet.
Action required: Chief Officer to request the Greffier to arrange for the amendment to Proposition 167/2011 to be lodged “Au Greffe” before 28 October 2011.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Energy from Waste Plant: Incinerator Emission Data: Publication on Internet - Amendment (P.167/2011)

TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

P167/2011 – Incinerator Emissions Data: Publication on Internet - Amendment

Purpose of the Report

To request the Minister for Transport and Technical Services to approve the lodging of an Amendment to P167/2011.

Background

The Deputy of St Mary has requested that Transport and Technical Services Department publishes real time or near real time energy from waste emissions data on the internet following minuted meetings with Save our Shoreline and United Kingdom without Incineration.

Discussion

The Transport and Technical Services Department has always committed to releasing the emissions data from the new La Collette Energy from Waste plant. The plant has, since the beginning of the year, been in an extensive commissioning and testing process and the overriding priority has been to get the plant operating efficiently within the set limits.

The La Collette Energy from Waste plant is operated under Waste Management (Jersey) Law 2005 and has a Waste Management Licence (Licence Number: WML019). The plant also has three separate discharge consents DP(B)2010/03/01, DP(B)2010/03/02 and DP(B)2010/03/03.

The Environment Department administers the licences, reviews the reported information and regulates against the emissions limits and licence conditions that the plant is required to work to.

Transport and Technical Services intends to publish the information that is reported to the regulator in a timely and succinct manner.

Transport and Technical Services has already shown Save our Shoreline group representatives the data available from the first quarter of operation and is happy to consult with the Environmental Regulator and locally based NGOs on the future format of published information.

Transport and Technical Services is not in favour of convening a meeting with United Kingdom Without Incineration (UKWIN) as the Department cannot see the value of discussing the publication of local emissions with an outside body whose prime purpose is “campaigning for sustainable waste management and against waste incineration”.

Whilst some of the gasses and temperatures are measured instantaneously there are some that can only be sampled on a periodic basis. This sampling is undertaken by accredited professionals and the data is then referred to the Environmental Regulator under the agreed reporting structure. It is not possible to report these emissions on a real time basis.

To publish real time data on the internet would have a significant cost implication as the web data interfaces would have to be developed from scratch. If the data produced to comply with the Waste Management Licence requirements is published on the internet the costs would be significantly reduced.

Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve the Amendment to P167/2011 and request the Chief Officer to lodge “Au Greffe” before 28 October 2011 ahead of the scheduled debate on 01 November 2011.

Reason(s) for Decision

An interface for real time data would have significant resource implications and Officers believe this original commitment is a more useful way to provide the public with assurance on the emissions from the incinerator.

Action Required

Chief Officer to request the Greffier of the States to lodge the Amendment by 28 October 2011 prior to scheduled debate on 01 November 2011.

Written by:	Acting Director – Waste Strategy

Approved by:	Chief Officer – Transport and Technical Services

Attachments:

Amendment to Proposition P167/2011

21 October 2011

I:\Minister\2011\Ministerial Decisions\MD 0108 Response to P167 Incinerator Emissions Data\WR - Amendment to P167 Incinerator Emissions Data 111021 RF-PAF.doc