The Covanta Incinerator at Rookery Pit South – Background
- December 2012 – Following a lengthy battle by local Groups and Residents and opposition by both Central Bedfordshire County Council and Bedford Borough Council – Covanta was granted planning permission to build an Incinerator at the Rookery Pit South site that would burn 585,000 tonnes of mainly domestic waste a year generating 65MW of energy
- May 2013 – Covanta announces that it is seeking a buyer for its UK operations and does not pursue the current Environmental Permit process for Rookery Pit
- May 2016 – Covanta issues a press release stating it has partnered with Veolia and intends to move forward with the Rookery Pit Site now burning 480,000 tonnes a year generating 50MW of energy
- Covanta/Veolia state that waste will be mainly commercial and could be collected from as far away as Birmingham – and the plant would have lifespan of up to 40 years
- Although Covanta has been granted planning permission to build the incinerator and associated buildings- in order to operate the buildings as an Incinerator Covanta will need to apply for an Environmental Permit
- November 2016 – 18/11/16 Covanta submits the Environmental Permit application to the Environment Agency
- The Environmental Permit Public Consultation Period will begin on 6th March until 18th April 2017. BACI will publish a list of environmental issues that residents can use as guidance for their own submissions if they wish.
More Information
The Covanta Incinerator – Background
The Covanta Incinerator – Main Points
Concerns regarding Incineration as a process
Incineration, Recycling and the Circular Economy – Slides
What You Can Do
Marston Moreteyne Action Group site – lots of information dating back to 2010
Bedfordshire Against Covanta Incinerator 