Merton Council’s Cabinet Member for Local Environment and Green Spaces, Councillor Natasha Irons said: “We oppose Viridor’s application to the Environment Agency to vary the Beddington Energy Recovery Facility’s environmental permit. 

If the application is approved, the amount of waste that can be treated at the facility would increase by 10% – this is in addition to the 15% increase to capacity approved by the Environment Agency just 12 months ago. This unnecessary intensification of the facility would see a rise in local traffic congestion and have a negative impact on residents. 

This increase represents a substantial variation to capacity at the facility and we are calling on the Environment Agency to hold a full public consultation so that the residents and stakeholders can review the supporting technical information submitted by Viridor. The Environment Agency must give residents’ the opportunity for their voices to be heard before it makes a decision on whether or not to approve this application”