Waste incineration is not the green future - your views

“TV’s ‘The Dirty Truth About Waste’ exposed thefailure to address recycling while polluting the environment”

The Millerhill Recycling and Energy Recovery Centre nearf Edinburgh

Waste incineration is not the green future

In the midst of climate change, Viridor are proposing to erect the biggest incinerator in Scotland in South Lanarkshire.

Channel 4’s Dispatches: ‘The Dirty Truth About Waste’ exposed the failure of this industry to address the issue of recycling while polluting the environment and creating financial contracts councils are now having difficulty withdrawing from.

The council recently announced that the “climate change emergency” is their greatest challenge. If that is the case then why are they are supporting incineration, as contained in their recently launched development plan?

If we are to address the issue of waste, we need to view it as an asset and not a problem. Like sweeping the dirt under the carpet, the council are burning our waste to avoid sending it to landfill when in reality they should be recycling all our waste. Burning recyclable materials is not “green” and creates a greater problem through the polluting emissions.

If we value our greenbelt, our environment and our health, we should not be burning waste by polluting the air we breathe or the soil that sustains our livestock and produce.

If we are to understand the impact we need a ‘national moratorium’ now to establish the demand, need, and impact upon the economy and public health and impact of incineration on climate change nationally. Scotland deserves better.

John Young, Dovesdale Action Group, Stonehouse.

Dangers of badly designed cycle lanes

The council’s obsession with promoting cycling and cycle lanes is getting dangerously out of hand.

For example, on Inglis Green Road at Longstone, they have marked out cycling lanes between the on-street parking and the pavement! So a passenger getting out car for the pavement, exits in to the cycling lane.

I simply can’t believe that such a foolish measure was subject to a competent risk assessment before it was implemented. Will nobody stand up against the council’s current obsession with cycling lanes and continuing hatred of motor vehicles?

Penny Patience, Ingliston Road, Edinburgh.

Spaces for People plan is misinformed

I wonder how many of the residents of Edinburgh are now wondering how they were so naive as to believe the council when they declared A) the extensive road changes and introduction of many new cycle lanes were the result of the coronavirus pandemic and were put in place by the council as an aid to protecting the residents of Edinburgh from infection.

And B) that the vast and irreversible changes to the very structure of Edinburgh's road systems that residents use to travel throughout the city of Edinburgh daily were temporary changes.

Surely by this, the latest of a long line of deliberately structured misinformation from the council, the residents of Edinburgh should treat any future statements about anything as suspect.

Mr Clark, Lochend Park View, Edinburgh.

Indy business shrinks

About 60% of Scotland’s trade is with the rest of the UK and less than 20% with the EU. That fact alone gives a rational person pause for thought over separation.

The economic dislocation and uncertaintywould deter investment in Scotland for years, even if Scotland had a pro-market government instead of the anti-business attitude of the nationalist leadership.

Otto Inglis, Crossgates, Cowdenbeath.