[greenyes] Energy Developments have dumped the experimental incineration technology SWERF

[RicAnthony@no.address]

GREENPEACE MEDIA RELEASE
SWERF on the scrap heap

Sydney, Tuesday July 23, 2003: Reports today that Energy Developments 
have dumped the experimental incineration technology SWERF (Solid Waste to 
Energy Recyling Facility) is hailed by Greenpeace as a win for the 
environment 
and sustainable waste solutions. It also serves as a warning to investors in 
incineration technologies.

Energy Developments Ltd (ENE), a Queensland-based generator of power from 
land-fill gas, today said it would stop funding development of the project in 

Wollongong, and write off the rest of the business value - up to $98million. 
ENE 
owns 88.13% of the SWERF through the Brightstar Environmental Partnership.

"This experimental incineration technology is heading for the scrap heap, 
along 
with other unsustainable ideas like mass burn incinerators", said Sue Connor 
of 
Greenpeace today. "It just goes to show that trying to burn waste to produce 
energy is uneconomic as well as socially and environmentally unacceptable."

"The scrapping of the SWERF project by Energy Development highlights the 
economic risks of investing in incineration," said Connor. "This should be a 
serious warning to Victorian local government employees, because the 
Victorian 
Local Authority Super (LAS) fund is investing their retirement fund in a 
controversial incineration proposal in Tasmania".

Victoria LAS, through the Industry Fund Service, has invested in the TEST 
Energy 
incinerator proposal in Brighton Tasmania, which has recently come under the 
spotlight for serious errors in the developer's and the government's 
documentation on the plant.? A public meeting organised by Greenpeace showed 
strong community opposition to the incinerator.

"Why is the Vic LAS investing local government employees retirement money in 
this polluting technology, which is unwanted by the community where it is 
proposed?" asks Connor.? "The LAS must withdraw its funding to prevent 
wasting 
more local government employees' money and foisting unwanted polluting 
technology on Tasmanian communities."

Greenpeace has just completed a 5-state tour with chemistry professor Dr Paul 

Connett highlighting the dangers of incineration and showing examples of 
innovative Zero Waste strategies from Australia and overseas.? Zero waste is 
a 
concept which brings communities, industry and government together to solve 
the growing waste crisis. The Zero Waste approach started in Canberra in 1996 

and is spreading around the world. 


Contacts: 
Carolin Wenzel ? ? ? ? 
Greenpeace Communications officer? ? ? ph 02 9263 0358 or 0417 668 957
Sue Connor? ? ? ? 
Greenpeace toxics campaigner ? ? ? ? ph 02 9263 0379 or 0438 282 409

For more information visit: www.greenpeace.org.au/toxics

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 
Carolin Wenzel
Media Officer
Email: Carolin.Wenzel@no.address


ricanthony@no.address