Here's a table of distances in miles, as the crow flies, of surrounding towns and villages from the proposed Viridor incinerator.
0.5 Lee Mill
0.5 Smithaleigh
1.6 Endsleigh Garden Centre
1.9 Dunstone
2 Ivybridge
2 Sparkwell
2 Yealmpton
2.2 Plympton
2.6 Ford
2.7 Flete
2.7 Lutton
2.8 Ermington
2.9 Brixton
2.9 Drakelands
2.9 Holbeton
3 Cornwood
3.2 Strode
3.5 Collaton Cross
3.5 Elburton
3.6 Colebrook
3.8 Harford
3.9 Battisborough Cross
4.2 Modbury
4.5 Lee Moor
4.6 Bittaford
4.6 Moorhaven
4.9 Kingston
4.9 Newton Ferrers
4.9 Plymstock
5 Marsh Mills
5 Ugborough
5.1 Wotter
5.3 Staddiscombe
5.4 Noss Mayo
5.4 Wembury
5.6 Estover
5.7 Wrangaton
6.1 Eggbuckland
6.1 Shaugh Prior
6.2 Hooe
6.4 Bickleigh
6.4 Ringmore
6.7 Bigbury
6.7 Derriford
6.8 Chalaborough
6.8 Heybrook Bay
6.8 Woolwell
7 South Brent
7.1 Didworthy
7.1 Plymouth (Centre)
7.3 Avonwick
7.5 Aveton GIfford
8.3 Diptford
8.5 Loddiswell
8.7 Thurlestone
9 Churchstow
9.7 South Milton
10 Rattery
10.4 Hope
10.5 Galmpton
10.5 Kingsbridge
11 Buckfastleigh
11.4 East Allington
11.5 Malborough
11.7 Habetonford
12 Totnes
12.1 Coombe
12.2 Chorleton
12.7 Dartington
13 Salcombe
13.2 Blackawton
13.4 Frogmore
13.8 East Portlemouth
14.2 Challington
14.8 Stokenham
15.2 Slapton
This incinerator should be of concern to South Devon residents near and far.
Incinerators release very small nanoparticles which may be the most dangerous particles in the emissions since they are so small they cannot be filtered out, and also because of their tiny size they penetrate through skin and into internal organs. They also remain suspended in air for a long time and are known to travel long distances. With the chimney stack so high it may well be that it is not the Lee Mill and Ivybridge residents that have as much to worry about regarding health risks as those towns and villages further afield.
In addition this incinerator will put a drain on council taxes and burn our future resources, putting a cap on recycling for years to come for the whole of South Devon. Dioxins and other toxins will build up in the food chain affecting our farming industry and ash leaching in to the river will effect our fishing industries and local marine life.
Please email the link to this table to everyone you know in South Devon and urge them to write letters of objection to the Devon County Council planning authority, the South West Devon Waste Partnership and also your local councillors. Incineration is not necessary, there are alternatives, and initial research on the NEQ Taskforce has indicated that recycling rates of up to 90% for South Hams could be achieved with the right investment.
