Edmonton Incinerator

Edmonton Incinerator is an incinerator which is located in Edmonton, in the London Borough of Enfield. The facility is bordered by the North Circular Road and the River Lee Navigation.

History

Built between 1971-4 by the Greater London Council. The building is described as " being on the edge of the marshes, in a setting that enhances its impressive scale. Vast box-like forms clad in corrugated metal sheeting, pale grey and dark grey, approached by two big ramps on tapering piers. Huge cylindrical concrete chimney containing two flues". [ Cherry, B & Nikolaus Pevsner,"The Buildings of England, London 4: North" (1998) p426 ISBN 0140710493 Retrieved April 16 2008] It is Britain's largest incinerator [ [http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/press-releases/government-blocks-plan-for-europes-biggest-incinerator-in-london] ,Greenpeace press release retrieved 21.08.07 ] . The site handles unrecycled waste from seven London Boroughs: Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Islington, Hackney, Haringey, and Waltham Forest. The waste is converted into electricity, bottom ash, air pollution control residue, and flue gases. Sufficient power is generated to meet the needs of 24.000 households [ [http://www.londonwaste.co.uk/operations/efw.asp Operations] , www.londonwaste.co.uk, retrieved 21.08.07 ] . The site has been the scene of a demonstration by Greenpeace who are against all incinerators because of concerns that they emit "a cocktail of chemicals that can cause cancers and asthma attacks", and that incineration "undermines targets for waste reduction and recycling". [ [http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/press-releases/greenpeace-volunteers-invade-london-cancer-factory Greenpeace UK - Greenpeace volunteers invade London cancer factory] (retrieved 2-Aug-08)] Greenpeace have also expressed concerns that incineration is "a very inefficient way to generate electricity", and that calling incineration energy-from-waste is merely an attempt to "hoodwink the public into believing that waste incineration is somehow a green option for waste management". [ [http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/reports/money-to-burn Greenpeace UK - Money to Burn] (retrieved 2-Aug-08)] .

Today

The site is now known as the London EcoPark [ [http://www.londonwaste.co.uk/ecopark.asp EcoPark] , www.londonwaste.co.uk, retrieved 21.08.07] and is run by LondonWaste. Trials are being carried out to use the River Lee Navigation in transporting materials to the EcoPark. A large composting facility opened on the site in 2006, allowing green and kitchen waste from local homes to be converted to compost. [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article521162.ece Canals set to make inroads on routes clogged by lorries] , www.timesonline.co.uk, retrieved 21.08.07] . [ [http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/whereilive/chingford/display.var.1592749.0.concerns_over_infant_death_rates_in_chingford_green.php] , Concerns over infant death rates in Chingford Green, retrieved 02.08.07 although the report has never been published.]

References

External links

* [http://www.mike-stevens.co.uk/metrocuts/lee/incinerator.htm Photograph of incinerator]
* [http://www.glias.org.uk/news/142news.html#A Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society- Technical information]