Recently, the Land Development and Control Committee refused Planning Permission for a ’Waste-to Energy’ project utilizing ‘Pyrolysis’.
That Decision has been appealed to the Executive Council which, in accordance with the Land Development and Control Act, is the Body to which Decisions of the LDCC go on appeal.
The LDCC is comprised of persons who are professionals in various disciplines concerning Land Development, including Environmental Health and Disaster Preparedness. It is standard practice that all Ministries are permitted to give their views where their areas of responsibility are impacted. That occurred in this case.
The Executive Council is made up of four Elected Politicians and three non-elected Civil Service Members, namely; the Governor, the Deputy Governor and the Attorney General.
None of the ExCo Members are professionals in the field of Land Development, or in any of its constituent sub-fields and disciplines, as far as we are aware.
The current procedure therefore allows persons who are not professionals in this area to potentially overrule the Decision of the LDCC, which committee it must be assumed, is properly constituted of persons suitably qualified in the various disciplines which constitute Land Development.
This, however, is not the subject matter of this Editorial. That will be for another day, but suffice it to say for now that the more thought that is given to the suggestion frequently made on a local radio station by a prominent Anguillian Lawyer that persons should be elected directly to specific ministerial offices, and Members of Public Boards should be elected by the voters of Anguilla, the more that suggestion makes sense. Why? Because the voters will begin to elect people to positions for which they are duly qualified, and not because ‘they like the person’. (Imagine that you need the services of a Doctor to treat your sick child; you will not engage the services of a Lawyer, a Mechanic or a musician, or your best friend – unless she is a qualified Medical Doctor- to provide medical services to that sick child. So why should you elect someone to be Minister of Finance, or Minister of Health, or Attorney General etc., etc., who is not suitably qualified for that office? If the Attorney General has to be a Lawyer, the Minister of Health has to be someone qualified in some discipline in Health. Likewise Finance, Labour, Lands, Housing etc. etc.)
More on this on another day, but it is important to mention it so as to put into context the absurdity that exists in the process of appeal from a Decision of the Land Development Control Committee. It goes for adjudication from a body made up of persons qualified in the particular field to a Body made up of four elected representatives and three representatives appointed by or on behalf of the U.K. Perhaps it is time for such appeals to go to a properly constituted – and hopefully elected- Tribunal of persons duly qualified in the necessary disciplines, rather than a ‘Politically’ constituted tribunal, then on to the Courts from that Professional Tribunal, if necessary.
Now, back to the matter at hand.
What is ‘Pyrolysis’?
Simply put, “Pyrolysis” is “the application of heat to chemical compounds in order to cause decomposition.” (Source: www.thefreedictionary.com/pyrolysis).
“Decomposition” is defined thus: “Separation into constituents by chemical reaction.”(Source: www.thefreedictionary.com/decomposition).
So, based on these two definitions, simplistic though they may be, we can safely conclude that ‘Pyrolysis’ is a process where chemical compounds are reduced to their constituent elements by the application of heat. This heat causes a chemical reaction in these compounds which in turn causes them to ’break-down’ into their constituent elements.
It must be asked whether it is also possible that in that process there may also be chemical reactions between elements which may well create other chemical compounds? We do not know, but we need to know this. What we do know is that the garbage which would feed this process is made up of materials like tires and plastics which release toxic chemicals when broken down by heat, as for example the disaster we experienced when there was that uncontrolled fire at Corito a few months ago, for which the Government were sued by a Little Harbour resident.
THE PROPOSAL
As we understand the proposal, again simply put, it is that garbage from Corito –excepting glass, ceramic and metals (iron, steel etc.) – will be subjected to ‘Pyrolysis’, and the garbage will be ‘decomposed’ into its constituent elements, while at the same time producing energy which can be used to generate electrical power. Note that this understanding of what is proposed is not exhaustive, and may well be incomplete, so we would welcome any input, corrective or otherwise, from any party to the proposal.
THE PROCESS OF PYROLYSIS
Like the Members of ExCo, we at the Anguillian are neither experts nor professionals in the areas of Land Development or Pyrolysis. So in order to inform ourselves, we have resorted to the use of the Internet. What we have found we share with you. Decide for yourselves whether or not Anguilla needs this technology in the present state of the Science surrounding it.
What we will say is that the information available on the Internet is sufficient reason, in our view, for there to be a moratorium on any such technology in Anguilla, until such time as the science is conclusive as to the Health safety of Anguillians, if such technology were to be employed in Anguilla. It would appear to us non-experts that, on the current state of the science, it would be unsafe to employ any such technology in Anguilla. This is our opinion based on what we read. We may be wrong. Read for yourselves.
As said earlier, we are not experts in the field but we are concerned by what is in the material we have read.
Recall the recent fire at Corito. The effects were felt in Little Harbour, George Hill, Blowing Point, Cul De Sac, South Hill, right down to West End.
South Hill to West End is where all our Luxury Resorts, and most of our Luxury Villas are located. In fact most all of such properties are located downwind of Corito.
What if the materials we read on the Internet in relation to Pyrolysis are even half correct? Are we willing to take the risk?
We are not saying that Anguilla should reject out of hand any such technology. We are not saying that Government should reject the current proposal which is before it. What we are saying is that the Executive Council should either accept the decision of the Professional Body which made the decision not to grant permission, or inform the people of Anguilla why they have overruled this Body and to give full reasons for it. We need to know whether the refusal was based on safety, health and/or environmental concerns and if so what the Executive Council has determined will address these concerns..
We are a small island. Nowhere is far from Corito. We must be sure, beyond any doubt, that any technology employed in the processing of waste and/or the generation of power, is beyond any question as to its safety and reliability, notwithstanding its assumed economic benefit to Anguilla.
In the material below you will see references to the effects on Towns and Communities in the U.S.A. of the economics of incineration. See particularly pages 17 to 18 of “An Industry Blowing Smoke.” at 1 below.
Have the Government signed a M.O.U. with the proposer? If so, what is the nature of the M.O.U the Government signed with the potential provider? We do not know. The Public needs to know the Terms of that M.O.U., if one exists, because we may not like them, or their implications- financial, environmental and otherwise- and we would therefore demand that Government change or cancel the M.O.U., if one exists.
There is precedent for this as the current Chief Minister made it clear during the run up to the last Elections that his Government would be reviewing all M.O.U’s and M.O.A’s signed by the former Government and, where necessary, would demand their re-negotiation. This did in fact happen.
Further, we are reliably informed that the Government and Anglec have entered into a ‘long- term Power Purchase Agreement’ with the proposer. Is this true? What are the Terms and Conditions of this ‘long-term’ Agreement? How could Government enter into this Agreement before the various permissions were granted? This is troubling and Anguillians need full disclosure from the Government on this. We need to know all the details. See “An Industry Blowing Smoke” at 1 below, pages 17 to 18.
Well, since Government is supposed to be For The People, Of the People and By the People acting through our elected representatives on behalf of the People, WE, the People need to know all the facts and, if WE do not like them, WE will demand they be changed, and changed they must be. That is the essence of Democracy.
THE SOURCES OF THE INFORMATION WE READ
1. “AN INDUSTRY BLOWING SMOKE: 10 Reasons Why Gasification, Pyrolysis& Plasma Incineration are Not “Green Solutions”
Authors: Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives and Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance.
2. “Medical and Health Associations Opposed to Biomass.”
Energy Justice Network.
3. “GREEN ALTERNATIVES TO INCINERATION IN SCOTLAND, A campaign for sustainable methods of waste management. PROBLEMS WITH GASIFICATION AND PYROLYSIS”
4. “Incinerators in Disguise: Case Studies of Gasification, Pyrolysis, and Plasma in Europe, Asia, and the United States.”
Authors: Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice. www.greenaction.org
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA). www.no-burn.org
5. “WASTE GASIFICATION: IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH.”
A TECHNICAL REPORT PUBLISHED BY The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, February 2009.
6. “Citizen Concerns with Waste to Energy Incinerators.
A Presentation to the Canadian Institute Conference on Waste-Based Energy.”
By John Jackson, Great Lakes United and Citizens’ Network on Waste Management.
jjackson@glu.org
November 23, 2009.
7. “The Formation of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons and Dioxins During Pyrolysis:
A Review of the Literature with Descriptions of Biomass Composition, Fast Pyrolysis Technologies and Thermochemical Reactions.” June 2008
By Manuel Garcia-Perez, Washington State University.
8. “WASTE-OF-ENERGY: WHY INCINERATION IS BAD FOR OUR ECONOMY, ENVIRONME NT AND COMMUNITY.”
eco.cycle September 2011 www.ecocycle.org/zerowaste
9. Fire Engineering “CYANIDE: FIRE SMOKE’S OTHER “TOXIC TWIN”
By Alan H. Hall, M.D. and ROB SCHNEPP.
The above is but a small portion of the available literature on the Internet. We invite you to read as much as you can on both sides of the issue, for there is indeed much material which supports the view that the process is sound, safe and economical. Our concern is that there is in fact uncertainty, and it is this uncertainty which must be dispelled before this technology is introduced into our community. It is this uncertainty which we find troubling.
We are of the view that if there is only one question remaining as to the safety of this process, it is imperative that that question be Scientifically resolved before that technology is deployed in Anguilla. On reading the material you will see that there are indeed more than one question not yet answered Scientifically as to the safety of the technology. Therein rest our concern.
In ending, we wish to implore the Executive Council of the Government of Anguilla to tread cautiously on this matter. Before you take a decision to overrule the Land Development Committee, at the very least get further independent professional Scientific advice on the technology and the process, so as to ensure the maintenance of good Health in Anguilla.
Our People are depending on you. Our Tourist Industry is depending on you. Our Nation’s Health is depending on you.
The Electorate is watching you, and YOU are depending on the Electorate.
There can be no reason to rush the process. Get all the answers. Then proceed accordingly.
If at the end of the day independent Scientific Research shows that there is no significant risk to the Health of Anguillians, then proceed to engage the Government Procurement process to avail Anguilla of this technology. If at the end there is even a remote doubt as to the effect of the Health of Anguillians, suspend this technology until such time as certainty of safety is assured.
That, and no less, is your obligation to the People of Anguilla.
We are all watching you.
