Washington waste energy plant opposed by thousands

The plant at Hillthorn Farm would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Thousands of people have signed a petition against plans to build a plant to produce energy from waste.

Of 564 comments submitted to the council about plans for Hillthorn Farm in Washington, all but four object.

Campaigners, who have signed a 9,000-name petition, say the plant would release dangerous emissions, increase traffic, be noisy and attract vermin.

Developers Rolton Kilbride said there had been "misinformation" about the plant's safety and cleanliness.

Managing director Andrew Needham said from "health to the environment, there is professional and accepted research to support our plans".

"We understand that there will objections but we are concerned about the levels of misinformation, particularly on social media," he said.

"Much of this relates to historic operations in the UK waste sector - modern thermal treatment technology now is far superior in terms of safety and cleanliness."

A petition is to be handed in at a meeting of the full council on Wednesday

The plant would operate continuously, seven days a week, processing up to 215,000 tonnes of non-hazardous municipal, commercial and industrial waste a year.

This would be converted into gas to be burned to create steam to drive turbines producing electricity and heat.

Shlomo Dowen, the national co-ordinator of the United Kingdom Without Incineration Network, which is supporting campaigners, said there were a "whole range of concerns".

"Something in the region of seven to eight million tonnes" of carbon dioxide would be released during the plant's life span, he said.

Mr Dowen also claimed there was evidence that incineration of waste harmed recycling rates.

Four letters of support for the scheme have been submitted to Sunderland City Council by car manufacturer Nissan, the authority's business investment team and two residents.

An online petition has been set up and a paper version with more than 9,000 signatures will be handed in to the council on Wednesday, organisers said.

Washington and Sunderland West Labour MP Sharon Hodgson has written to the council objecting to the application.

A consultation runs until 24 November.