This weekend (Saturday 22nd June) the Labour Party are launching their Air Quality Campaign in London. Jon Cruddas MP has been campaigning to protect air quality across Dagenham and Rainham since September 2018 when news reached his office of a planned mass waste incinerator in Belvedere, just opposite the constituency.
The proposal is currently under examination by the Planning Inspectorate. Following this period, the final decision will rest with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Incineration is the least environmentally friendly form of waste management after landfill and under this government, waste incineration has doubled in the UK whilst recycling rates have stagnated.
Jon Cruddas said: "If we are to go by their track record one thing is clear; the Tories don't care about toxic pollution. This Belvedere incinerator will be a good test case on the government's commitments on climate change and air quality."
Jon raised a petition and has represented residents' interests at every stage of the application so far. If you still haven't signed the petition you can do so here: https://joncruddas.org.uk/belvedere-incinerator-petition
Jon is not alone in this fight; the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority have thrown their weight behind the campaign. Sadiq Khan said: "London's air is a toxic air health crisis and the last thing we need, in our modern green global city is another harmful waste-burning incinerator polluting our city. Emissions from incinerators are bad for our health, bad for our environment and bad for our planet."
Jon added: "I recently visited the existing Cory site and was shocked at just how close Dagenham Dock, and the new Beam Park development area was to the incinerator. Previous reports had pointed out this would impact Rainham, but with the prevailing wind direction air quality across the south of Dagenham will take a serious hit ? I don't want the residents of tomorrow to suffer ill health and poor air quality because we didn't act today."
Sign Jon's petition against the Belvedere waste incinerator plans here: https://joncruddas.org.uk/belvedere-incinerator-petition