In the latter stages of the run up to the Council panel meeting in June, Sky Properties finally provided an indication of who may be running the recycling plant in their planned facility. In fact, they even got a letter of support from JWS Waste and Recycling Services. JWS run another recycling plant in Fredrick Rd in Salford. You may remember this plant hitting the news recently, when mothers and children blocked the entrance to plant:
Families referred to the plant as “a living hell” further claiming that people living nearby were plagued by noise and dust from the site and by flies in hot weather.
We have maintained since the original proposal for this plant, that this living hell would be the reality. Additionally, a recycling plant would be a serious safety hazard so close to homes and children’s play areas. The noise, smell and pests could be considered just one of the 50 reasons why Mr. Hirsch needs to rethink recycling at this site. Safety, however, trumps these and gives us our next 50. A quick search on Google reveals exactly how much of a problem fire safety in particular is a problem for MRF plants. In the last two years, Google shows the following incidents of MRF Fires:
| Number | Date | Location |
| 1 | 14 April 2009 | Hartlepool |
| 2 | 26 May 2009 | Port Talbot |
| 3 | 22 June 2009 | Bolton |
| 4 | 22 July 2009 | Walsall |
| 5 | 10 August 2009 | Dewsbury |
| 6 | 25 August 2009 | Lincolnshire |
| 7 | 05 March 2010 | Derry |
| 8 | 18 March 2010 | Grantham |
| 9 | 21 April 2010 | Edmonton |
| 10 | 10 May 2010 | Doncaster |
| 11 | 20 May 2010 | Enderby |
| 12 | 27 May 2010 | Ford |
| 13 | 19 June 2010 | Kilmarnock |
| 14 | 06 July 2010 | Brent |
| 15 | 14 July 2010 | Neath |
| 16 | 02 August 2010 | Mill Hill |
| 17 | 03 August 2010 | Bolton |
| 18 | 30 August 2010 | Edinburgh |
| 19 | 31 August 2010 | Bolton |
| 20 | 01 October 2010 | Buckley |
| 21 | 01 October 2010 | Ilkeston |
| 22 | 03 November 2010 | Huntingdon |
| 23 | 23 December 2010 | Pontllanfraith |
| 24 | 14 January 2011 | Norton |
| 25 | 19 January 2011 | Norton |
| 26 | 05 February 2011 | Huntingdon |
| 27 | 09 February 2011 | Ellesmere Port |
| 28 | 01 March 2011 | Croydon |
| 29 | 13 March 2011 | Stourton |
| 30 | 20 March 2011 | Hetton-le-hole |
| 31 | 20 March 2011 | Southampton |
| 32 | 23 April 2011 | Lye |
| 33 | 23 April 2011 | Brighton |
| 34 | 24 April 2011 | Kingswinford |
| 35 | 29 April 2011 | Sunderland |
| 36 | 29 April 2011 | Telford |
| 37 | 30 April 2011 | Liverpool |
| 38 | 02 May 2011 | Tyneside |
| 39 | 03 May 2011 | Loughborough |
| 40 | 03 May 2011 | Suffolk |
| 41 | 03 May 2011 | Thirsk |
| 42 | 04 May 2011 | Caerwent |
| 43 | 16 May 2011 | St Albans |
| 44 | 20 May 2011 | Leatherhead |
| 45 | 21 May 2011 | Sunderland |
| 46 | 31 May 2011 | Hereford |
| 47 | 03 June 2011 | Sleaford |
| 48 | 07 June 2011 | Poole |
| 49 | 09 June 2011 | Haverhill |
| 50 | 15 June 2011 | Hereford |
| 51 | 24 June 2011 | Lincoln |
| 52 | 30 June 2011 | Tameside |
| 53 | 05 July 2011 | Orsett |
| 54 | 12 July 2011 | Oldham |
Surprising that one of these is actually happening in Oldham on the day I decided to write this post. There is clearly an issue here. One the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) need to investigate to a conclusion. Does Mr. Hirsch really think it’s appropriate to have one of these overlooking a children’s park? These are some of many reasons that we continue to prepare to fight an appeal. Watch this space for updates.