Greens hold packed meeting on Pinkham Way as campaigners vow to fight on

Although the proposal to build an MBT waste plant the size of two football pitches at Pinkham Way have been put on ice for 9 months, over one hundred local residents and campaigners turned up for a packed meeting on the subject.

Quentin Given, Co-ordinator of Tottenham and Wood Green Friends of the Earth, spoke first stating that "The reason we're all here tonight is because we produce too much waste". He went on to talk about the need for goods to be wrapped in less packaging. Friends of the Earth believe that London should be dealing with its own waste and that we should be moving away from incineration. Colin Parish, founder of the Pinkham Way Alliance began by explaining how his involvement in the Pinkham Way Alliance has changed his outlook on environmental issues, particularly the issue of waste. "I'm not a Green",he stated. "I've never been overly concerned about recycling but now I've come to realise that I need to mend my ways. I'm greener and greener by the day because I realise we need to address this." Addressing the accusation that the campaign is nimbyist, Mr. Parish commented, "It's not that we don't want it in our backyard; it's so big we will be in its backyard". He commented on the "dirty dishcloth" smell that permeated from other MBTs around the country that were already in operation. Flies and litter are often big problems too. The Pinkham Way Alliance have welcomed the 9 month "stay of execution" and believe that it is essential that the North London Waste Plan (NLWP) is agreed before a decision is made on the proposed Pinkham Way development. On the issue of the NLWP, Mr Parish commented "It's full of holes. The way in which they have used their own criteria [in relation to Pinkham Way] is incredibly bogus.

Darren Johnson, Green Party GLA Member, was the final speaker. He began by stating that ""We will need new types of waste plants to deal with our waste, but I do object to this plan as it is completely the wrong plant in the wrong place". Highlighting the fact that the last Mayor of London had planned to have lots of small waste and recycling plants across the capital, but that Boris Johnson, in his new London Plan, changed this to fewer, larger plants, Darren commented, "I wouldn't object to MBT if we were talking about a very small amount of waste in each borough. We are going to have to have waste plants in London, but they need to be in the right location, the right technology and the right size. They need to serve the local community rather than being imposed upon it". Darren urged campaigners to make the issue of the Pinkham Way plans and, more widely, the issue of London's waste, into a key Mayoral election issue.

The set speeches were followed by a lively general discussion with many pertinent contributions from a clearly knowledgeable audience.