Action Briefing Oct 2003- Nov 2003
	The Newsletter of Birmingham Friends of the Earth

West Midlands News

Waste Update

A number of us got together in Worcester in September to discuss ways forward on resource management in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It seems that they are moving in separate directions to one another and that there will no single plant.

If enough is done now on reduction and recycling then there will not be the volumes available to attract someone wanting to set up large combustion plants. We heard that the recycling schemes which have been established are so popular that demand is outstripping supply.

If we can close some loops and convert waste into a resource then we may see some sustainable business emerging from our campaigns.

There were further discussions on the need to highlight the sheer amount of resources being brought into the counties by companies who, once those resources have left the shops, have no responsibility for how they are subsequently treated. Thus we have a two-pronged attack: (1) choke off the supply of future waste from the retailers and (2) starve the burners of the vital energy-rich resources which they need to be viable.

Chris Crean