Jill Evans, Plaid Cymru Member of the European Parliament, along Lisa Turnbull, Plaid Cymru Prospective Candidate for Aberafan, today urged the Government to follow a greener waste disposal policy.

Visiting a public meeting in Crymlyn Burrows, Ms Evans expressed her concern at the growing use of landfill sites and incineration as means for waste disposal. Ms Evans called for an increase in door-to-door recycling schemes.

Ms Evans said:

"We live in a throwaway society and attitudes need to be changed. The only way that this can be achieved is if councils implement more sustainable waste recycling policies. Together with education on minimising waste and recycling more, we can create a more sustainable environment for our communities. We urge councils to implement more door-to-door recycling schemes to kick-start such a change in attitudes.

"Introducing incinerators to replace landfills is just replacing one unhealthy form of waste disposal with another. The environmental impact of such schemes is severe. Pollution fallout from incinerators can severely effect the health of people living in close proximity to the incineration site. This is a contradictory course of action that needs to be changed."

Lisa Turnbull, Plaid Cymru Parliamentary Candidate for Aberafan, added

"The people of Crymlyn Burrows are very concerned about the planning permission given to build an incinerator in their area with very little consultation of public concerns.

"Allowing incineration undermines the Government's professed desire to promote waste reduction, re-use and recycling. Even the most modern incinerators emit chemicals and combustion by-products known to cause cancer, including dioxins and heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury.

"Public concerns must not be ignored; councils must lead by example by implementing environmentally-friendly waste disposal schemes."

DIWEDD/END.