Articles
Waste in Guernsey
In Guernsey we have almost run out of space for the growing tide of rubbish and therefore our need to reduce what is sent to Mont Cuet is urgent.
Disposable Plastic Bags... why we need to reduce them.
Guernsey uses in excess of 10 million disposable plastic bags. They are used on average for 20 minutes before being discarded. The resultant littering problems, the waste issues at Mont Cuet, the damage to our marine environment, and the irresponsible use of oil to make disposable bags, are all issues we need to address.
The Future of Guernsey's Waste - A Load of Old Rubbish
A 'final waste solution' for Guernsey will be announced early next year. Tonight we will review recent State's decisions on Guernsey's solid waste strategy together with the work of the People's Panel on Waste Disposal. This panel produced a report on solid waste treatment solutions before the July States debate. The panel questioned the amount of waste that needed to be processed as called for in the tender contract (45,000 tonnes rising to 70,000 tonnes over 25 years). Panel members concluded that to build a facility based on these figures would prove to be the biggest unnecessary public spending commitment every undertaken by the States of Guernsey. This evening we will examine these complex and often contradictory findings and consider some of the possible outcomes for our island.
The Substantial benefit of using Rechargeable batteries
In the last few years rechargeable consumer batteries have become more widely available. The French company Uniross has received World Wildlife Fund (WWF) endorsement for its AA and AAA nickel metal hydride batteries. Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries come in various mAh capacities. They can be charged hundreds of times at a cost of a few pence each time saving the consumer hundreds if not thousands of pounds Sterling during the life of the battery.
Why a Mass Burn Incinerator is wrong for Guernsey
The costs, whether social, financial or environmental of a mass burn incinerator for Guernsey are of a scale that we can scarcely contemplate. The minimum size for a Mass Burn plant is 50,000 metric tons throughput per year, which exceeds the entire current waste output going to the Mont Cuet landfill. Success in waste reduction will render an irresponsible Mass Burn plant redundant; something that will benefit both our conscience, our pockets as well as future generations. Deputies need to consider carefully the opinions of the electorate, to explore their conscience, for what they are about to debate is of the utmost importance to Guernsey's future on many different levels.
Effective Waste Strategy or Effective Waste of Money?
The Rational Alternative solution to treating Guernsey's solid waste is self-funding, cash generative and offers much greater flexibility for waste management options than Guernsey's Public Service Department's solution. Their solution is far too large for our needs because their waste assumptions are flawed and their proposal is also unaffordable.
The Solid Waste Disposal Solution for Guernsey
This paper presents a robust and complete solution to the Guernsey solid waste disposal problem. This solution restricts use of landfill to materials which cannot reasonably be treated in any other way, eliminates unneighbourly commercial burning of timber, minimises the generation of problematic ash residues, and promotes best recycling practices. This solution is feasible at a capital cost of £19 million plus operating costs of £0.5 million per year, including the costs of all residue disposal.
Plastic pollution in the sea causes wildlife mortality
A videographer records dead albatross chicks on Midway Island in the Central Pacific that have been killed by ingesting plastic litter picked up from the sea by their parents. The damage marine plastic pollution causes to wildlife is shown to USA school children.
RETHINK! the Suez Incinerator Proposal
Support the Rethink! Campaign for a cheaper, cleaner way of dealing with our solid waste that creates local jobs and keeps more of our money in Guernsey. Wear an orange ribbon on your jacket, or on your coat, or place an orange ribbon on your house, or on your car, or your bicycle, or your umbrella to tell our Guernsey deputies that you want them to Rethink the massively expensive Suez incinerator proposal.
A public presentation by independent waste expert Alan Watson on 9 February
Independent waste expert Alan Watson will provide a presentation on Guernsey's solid waste strategy and answer any questions you might have. His presentation will take place in the Harry Bound room of Les Cotils, St. Peter Port. It begins at 7.30pm on 9 February. All welcome although seating is limited.
Stop Your Money Going Up in Smoke. Act Now! Email or phone your Deputy and make your voice heard
The proposed Suez Environnement / Sita Guernsey waste treatment facility will have a capital cost of £93.5 million. Suez Environnement values the contract with the States of Guernsey at £194 million. This does not include the interest payments, which will amount to a further £66 million. Total cost in 2012 pounds Sterling is about £260 million. In 2037 when the contract ends the total cost could amount to over £400 million for a community of just over 60,000 people.