South Wales Evening Post - 10 November 2005
Bosses at a controversial incinerator have been trying to woo councillors from Swansea and Carmarthenshire in a bid to raise extra cash, it emerged today. It comes after the company behind the plant in Crymlyn Burrows went into administration with debts of £40 million.
The original company, HLC (Neath Port Talbot), that developed the centre was put into administration because of rocketing debts.
Members of the South West Wales Regional Waste Group Members' Forum visited the plant for talks with the company yesterday.
But they were greeted by placard-carrying protesters opposed to more councils using the site.
The Crymlyn Burrows waste facility has been at the centre of a number of rows over its incinerator and allegations of air pollution.Residents living nearby have fought a long battle against the site.
They have been vocal in complaining of smells and voicing concern about alleged toxic fall-out from it.
Mike Ryan, chairman of the Stop The Incinerator Committee, led the protest which saw 30 people make a stand outside the plant.
He said: "We had a lot of residents down there. It was a good show for the middle of the week when everybody is at work. We put our points to the councillors and they took our concerns seriously.
"All we wanted to do was explain what has been happening here.
"We don't believe the incinerator is working properly and can cope with the waste it has from Neath Port Talbot, let alone start taking waste from other areas."
Swansea Council has been forced to seek a new solution to its waste problem after the Environment Agency shut down the Tir John landfill site.
The authority is appealing against the decision, but is pushing ahead trying to find alternative plans. Some of the city's annual 120,000 tonnes of rubbish has been transported to the Trecatti site in Merthyr Tydfil.
But it can only take half the city's waste, and another home for the other 60,000 tonnes had to be found, with a Haverfordwest-based company winning the contract.
The council is looking at a number of ways to deal with the waste. Ideas suggested include opportunities to increase local recycling.
A local resident said: "This issue won't be going away.''