Killoch incinerator: Tory pair raise ‘serious concerns’

The controversial proposals have received 1,174 objections with an additional 500 signed individual objections handed in at council headquarters. Protestors point to the environmental impact of the scheme as well as the effect it will have on the appearance of the area.

Barr’s application for the incinerator is still being processed by the council. If approved, it would move on for Scottish Government approval.

READ MORE: Anti incinerator group enter into ‘new phase’ of protest ahead of COP26

It’s believed that the council is seeking further information on the environmental impact of the company’s plans, and on a review of the area’s capacity for waste incineration, before scheduling a meeting for councillors to decide on the proposals.

Commenting, Scottish Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey said: “There’s many reasons why the incinerator shouldn’t go ahead, first and foremost the environmental impact it’s going to have on Ochiltree and the surrounding area.

“I’ve met with local residents to see how the development will cause issues and I have serious concerns.

“The Scottish Conservatives have been very clear that there should be a moratorium on any further incinerators in Scotland. They’re bad for the environment and have no place in a net zero Scotland.

“We should be recycling our rubbish, not burning it.

“I’m fully behind this campaign and I urged anyone to visit the Scottish Government’s website and make their views known through the call for evidence. This incinerator needs to be stopped.”

READ MORE: Incinerator plan gets over 500 objections

Neill Watts, Scottish Conservative and Unionist candidate for Cumnock and New Cumnock, added: “I fully understand the concerns of the local residents in Ochiltree and the surrounding area on this issue.

“If elected in May, I’ll be fully scrutinising the application to ensure the best outcome for the area.”

READ MORE: Ochiltree and Coylton residents protest incinerator plans

Gavin Ramsey, spokesperson for Barr Environmental, responded: “East Ayrshire has a significant capacity gap in terms of how we’ll manage our non-recyclable waste in coming years, so we welcome all debate on the subject and we’re always happy to address any concerns people may have.

“For example, we can provide significant assurances from an environmental perspective because we’ve already conducted careful technical assessments in accordance with Public Health Scotland and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) guidelines. These assessments conclude that, even using the most conservative of measures, the facility we’re proposing will be operated cleanly, safely and in a completely responsible manner.

“We’ll use continuous air quality monitoring to ensure our compliance with SEPA regulations and we’ve even committed to conducting further voluntary monitoring, away from our site, to provide additional reassurances.

“As a company that’s heavily invested in recycling, we agree with Ms Dowey that we should be recycling as much of our waste as possible and eventually eliminate the non-recyclable element of our waste altogether.

“Unfortunately, it will be many years before we’re able to reach that point and, in the meantime, there’s a very real issue that needs to be addressed in terms of sustainably managing the waste created by our homes and businesses in a cost

effective, environmentally sustainable way.”

“After 2025, we will not be able to send biodegradable municipal waste to landfill and anything that can’t be recycled, will need to be sent to an alternative treatment process that prevents it ending up in landfill. We are offering a local solution and ensuring that waste doesn’t need to be sent to landfill for disposal.

“Instead, our technologically advanced facility will safely and sustainably manage it - and in a way that generates fewer carbon emissions than landfill. So, in considering the drive to a Net Zero Scotland, our proposals represent part of the solution, not part of the problem.”