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Support a Moratorium on waste to energy incineration in Australia.
Dear friends, colleagues and supporters,
Australia is facing more than 10 largescale waste to energy incinerator projects right now with many more potentially in the pipeline as a result of state policies particularly in NSW and Victoria.
This massive climate (6 million tpa GHGs), toxic air pollution (dioxins, PFAS and microplastics) and hazardous waste (4 million tpa class 5 haz waste ash) threat is unnecessary and unwarranted.
These figures are set to massively increase should industries in NSW swap gas and coal for waste and former coal fired power stations turn to W2E incineration, as is being proposed by the NSW government. Right now Lithgow, Newcastle, Goulburn, Parkes and Tarago in NSW, and Sunbury, Lara, Wollert, and Maryvale Gippsland, in Victoria face the most significant threats.
Regional NSW, Victorian and Qld farming communities face serious pollution threats which could undermine their produce and livelihoods.
Western Australia is facing the impending reality of 760 000 tpa of waste being burned close to residents in Kwinana and Rockingham, on the doorstep of the vulnerable Cockburn Sound, home to an array of marine life, despite decades of civil society opposition. Sadly the WA community was ignored and these two massive projects were bulldozed through an inept approvals process without any climate assessment or social license to operate.
Natural environments (First Nations country and heritage) face contamination through Persistent Organic Pollution threatening biodiversity and river systems.
Please find here our sign on letter of support asking for an urgent moratorium on waste to energy incineration in Australia.
Our latest report which concludes that waste incineration is driving the triple planetary crisis, can be found here – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383692205_Waste_Incineration_and_the_Environment
The Public Health Association of Australia’s systematic review of health impacts can be found here – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31535434/
Please sign our consensus letter of support to urge the Australian government to place an immediate moratorium on waste incineration in Australia.
We need a full and independent inquiry to provide all the latest science and evidence of harm to our governments and decision-makers demonstrating the widespread contamination incinerators cause. There are safer more effective ways to manage our residual waste that do not threaten our climate, health and environment. Waste incineration entrenches a linear economy and relies on plastic waste as a fuel, undermining the Circular Economy. This is why the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights, toxics and hazardous waste recently warned the Australian government that, “Waste incineration is the end of the line for the fossil fuel industry”.
Please share this request for support with your colleagues, friends and families. We hope to have your signature and support by Monday 28th April.
For our toxic free future,
