A MARCH against controversial plans for a new incinerator on Portland is due to take place this coming weekend.

The protest, organised by Portland 4 the Planet and backed by a British Olympic sailor, will start at 10am on Saturday, October 16.

The activists have said that they plan to begin the day with short speeches and chants on the green beside Victoria Square roundabout before marching to the Portland Port entrance and back to the green for a community conversation.

As reported, Powerfuel Portland wants to build a £100 million Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) at Portland Port which would burn up to 202,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste each year to convert to energy.

Powerfuel says the plant would use waste as a fuel to produce 15MW of energy, supplied to the national grid - enough to power around 30,000 homes - as well as providing shore power to Portland Port.

British Olympic sailor and coach, Laura Baldwin, is living with her young son, on the hill right above the proposed site for a waste incinerator at Portland Port.

Ms Baldwin said: “Everyone should be outraged by this proposal, not just those living close enough to inhale the toxic emissions. The carbon emissions that would spew into our atmosphere each year would require more than a million trees to live for 100 years to offset the damage caused to our climate. Carbon offsetting should be banned as we are in a climate emergency right now, we don’t have time to wait for trees to grow to offset yet more emissions.

“Ninety per cent of the waste burnt could be avoided, reused or recycled. The solution is to adopt a circular economy where there is no waste. Everything manufactured should be recyclable, reusable or compostable. And turn to renewables for energy provision such as wind, tide and solar.

“We have been campaigning for nearly two years against this application for a monster waste burner. We have signed petitions, submitted objections, written letters, been on a march, attended protests, put up banners, funded costly legal advice and yet Powerfuel and Portland Port are still trying to push this toxic project through!”

Portland Town Council voted to unanimously back 'strong' objections to controversial plans for a waste incinerator last month amid its own concerns for the development.

Organiser have said that this is a legal protest and that Dorset Police will be present for this demonstration.

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