London’s Green MEP, Jean Lambert, today spoke out against Ken Livingstone’s refusal to stop the building of a gasification plant in Rainham, London Borough of Havering.

Jean Lambert, who submitted a formal objection against the plant deeming the proposal as another excuse for incineration, today said; “With efforts to install London’s Sustainable waste strategy combined with hard work to encourage recycling and meet targets it is astonishing that proposals for a gasification plant were not halted at the very beginning.  However it is now particularly disappointing that as the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has not stepped in at this vital time, to bring an end to such a detrimental plant and champion a more sustainable solution.

“Granting planning permission for the gasification plant simply contradicts the waste hierarchy adopted by the Mayor, the UK Government and the EU, placing recycling ahead of energy from waste and incineration.

“Londoners are now making greater efforts to recycle but by not stopping the plant going ahead the Mayor of London will have missed a significant opportunity to encourage further achievements.“

ENDS