A new study on incinerators in three Member States - Spain, the Czech Republic and Lithuania - published on 27 January by the NGO Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) reveals a high level of contamination in the vicinity of waste incinerators, which represents a significant risk to the environment and health, the NGO says.
The biomonitoring study shows, for example, that the majority of eggs analysed exceed the EU recommended limits for food safety (Commission Recommendation l2013/711/EU on dioxins and furans) and that pine needles and mosses show high levels of dioxins in the vicinity of incinerators.
Based on the findings of this study, ZWE and the research project group strongly recommend:
- to make biomonitoring research mandatory for all existing incineration projects in Europe;
- to make continuous measurement of chlorinated and brominated dioxins mandatory, including under ‘other than normal operating conditions’, such as start-up and shut-down and technical accidents;
- put a moratorium on new waste incineration projects and develop phase-out plans for existing projects;
- promote and finance circular, healthy and sustainable alternatives to waste incineration.
See the study: https://bit.ly/34j6jtd (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)