Councillor Schmitt’s comments about incineration in her recent letter (Times, April 1) are deeply troubling and outdated. The complacency and inability to address/comprehend the scale of effort required to mitigate just the NEW 600,000 tonnes CO2 a year from Rivenhall incinerator is jaw-dropping.

High-profile (and expensive) efforts to boost recycling are undermined by the cabinet member for environment and place talking positively about incineration in the same breath.

Only landfill and incineration? There are now multiple technologies that fragment non-recyclable waste for integration within new building products – Essex County Council is looking at this approach for its own roads.

Landfill represents good ‘carbon capture’ after organic waste and recyclables are removed. Burning just releases CO2 and other nasties into the atmosphere and produces 30 per cent toxic ash for landfill.

The UK’s third largest incinerator at Rivenhall could export a tiny amount of energy to the grid but it would be dirtier than coal to produce.

The letter claims “most areas available for planting have been utilised” – really? Imagine how many other areas could have been found if £250K was offered to local communities and individuals to plant and sustain new woodlands? That proposal was voted down and now just £15K is approved.

Councillor Schmitt (and the majority group) are clearly NOT sufficiently invested or motivated to lead our district to develop and implement an ambitious climate strategy response.

Practical idea: Own land, or know of some you would like to see planted with trees? Just write in - suggest the area, location, owner and any other reason e.g. help stop flooding, stop unsustainable development, mitigate CO2 etc and we’ll forward to Councillor Schmitt.

The best time to plant to tree was 20 years ago, the next best time is now. Don’t our unique communities deserve a brighter future that is not dominated by trucks and trash?

Michael Staines
Independent Candidate for Three Fields with Great Notley in the Essex County Council election 
Stock Street Farm, Coggeshall


n The other candidates for the Three Fields with Great Notley Division are Graham Butland (Con), Jack Coleman (Lab) and Graham Sheppard (Lib Dem)