I was intrigued by Peter Anderson's note about FosterWheeler's intent not to build any more
waste-to-energy plants in the US, due to poor funding prospects, deregulation in the power
industry and strong public opposition. What the article does not say is whether FW is planning
to export their trash-burning technology to the Third World, where public opposition will
have less of a chance to organize against plant construction. There seems to be a pattern of
exporting technologies abroad where there a fewer environmental controls. Just wondering
about the upshot of this decision.
Lynn Leopold
Ithaca NY
<excerpt>
The 8/31/98 Waste News reports that Foster Wheeler "will not build any more
wsate-to energy plants in the U.S."
The causes are the financial debacle at its Illinois Robbins Resource
facility that was left high and dry when the state legislature repealed the
prior legislature's incineration subsidy (via electric prices), the
persistent local opposition to incinerators, and the deregulation of
electric utilities which makes the power produced by WTE facilities
non-competitive.
Most important the investment community has concluded that incinerators are
no longer good investments: "'The waste-to-energy business does not have
vey favorable growth prospects,' said Robert Friedman, an analyst with
S&P."
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Lynn Leopold
Recycling Specialist
Tompkins County Solid Waste Mgmt Div
122 Commercial Ave.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-273-6632; FAX 607-275-0000
email <lleopold@buttermilk.co.tompkins.ny.us