Environmental considerations are paramount in the design of the new Sustainability Energy Plant.

Proven, state-of-the-art technology reduces harmful substances in the flue gases to levels the Government and other regulators consider do not cause harm to human health or the environment. This is why there are detailed emission standards with which we have to comply – and our proposal will not gain the necessary consent unless we comply fully with the regulators’ safety requirements.

Limits for emissions are set in half hourly and daily time segments, and monthly reports on emissions must be submitted to the Environment Agency.

We have complied with all of DECC’s requirements, including widening our air quality assessment to cover a 15km radius, so increasing the available data that will help DECC to make the decision whether to allow our proposal to go ahead or not.

As part of the application process, we have been required to carry out an extensive Health Impact Assessment (HIA). This has considered the exposure to emissions using a number of recognised measures and the best-available scientific evidence, including those outlined by the Department of Health’s Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants. All the results were also tested against the Health Protection Agency’s report on the ‘Impact on health of emissions to air from municipal waste incinerators’, published in September 2009.

The HIA has shown that the processes used within the plant would not pose a significant risk to health either during the construction or operation of the energy plant. As the site will operate under the European Community Waste Incineration Directive, and be subject to Environment Agency regulations, any harmful gases and particles produced in the plant’s operations would be treated before release into the atmosphere.

The treatment process would neutralise emissions to a level well below that set by the Directive. An important part of this process is ensuring that the chimney stack is designed to the correct height – this will ensure that at ground level the emissions remain well within the levels set by the Directive.

Overall, even taking into account all current and proposed developments in Cheshire, our SEP does not constitute a significant health risk.