A PUBLIC consultation which will have a bearing on the location of several waste plants for the borough's growing rubbish-load finishes this week.
Hillingdon residents are invited to comment on the West London Waste Plan (WLWP), which sets out plans for five 'waste treatment' facilities in Hillingdon.
The consultation expires tomorrow (Friday).
Currently, 70 per cent of the waste created in the six West London Boroughs - Brent, Ealing, Hillingdon, Harrow, Hounslow and Richmond Upon Thames - is transported elsewhere. These boroughs have joined forces in a bid to drive this down and move towards self sufficiency. It is hoped that 85 per cent of London's waste will be managed in the capital by 2020.
More than two million tonnes is produced in West London alone, and this is expected to rise by almost another million tonnes by 2026.
Each of the boroughs are allocated an 'apportionment' of the future waste projected for the coming years, and are required to actively plan for managing it and ensure that sufficient sites are identified to meet these targets.
Subject to changes arising from the public response, it is expected that the plan will be finalised in September or October, and could be adopted by October 2012.
John McDonnell MP (Labour, Hayes and Harlington) voiced concerns about impacts to residents in a previous Gazette report ('Dumping Ground', Hayes and Harlington Gazette, November 24 2010).
In the WLWP report, it states that the facilities would be built to green specifications and "meet the highest standards possible of design, construction and operation to minimise adverse effects on local communities and the environment."
It adds: "Waste facilities should be seen as an opportunity rather than a bad neighbour and can be co-located with developments and industry to provide energy attractive for industry, commercial properties and even residents."
Have you made a submission? What do you think? Email editorialuxbridge@trinitysouth.co.uk
