A controversial planning application to build a medical waste incinerator in West Lancashire, close to the Knowsley boarder, has been approved.
The proposals for a waste facility on Stopgate Lane, Simonswood, were given the go-ahead by Lancashire council during a Development Control Committee yesterday, on Wednesday, December 7. Already the plans have been met with objections from both councillors and residents in both Lancashire and Knowsley.
The facility will sit outside of the Knowsley Council boundary, however those against the plans say it's closed enough to Kirkby to impact on homes in the borough. The Warrington based applicant Culzean W2E Limited plan to see 3,650 tonnes of hazardous material burned.
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The company says it wants to demolish an existing building, constructing a '"high temperature treatment facility for the management of medical waste" , according to LancsLive. Documents say 400kg of waste would be treated per hour, all of which is expected to come from within a catchment area of 25 miles, with Aintree and Fazakerley Hospital a "focal point."
Opponents claim the incinerator could pose health risks for those living nearby, including increased risk of congenital abnormalities, cancers and respiratory illnesses as well as long term increased exposure to other illnesses like strokes, lung cancer, fertility issues and cardiovascular problems, but these have been disputed by the company.
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