25 April 2015
Pilks plan: Greens want answers
St Helens Green Party is seeking answers from Pilkington/NRG about the proposed energy from waste facility at Cowley Hill.
Pilkington unveiled plans last Autumn to generate electricity on site from 'refuse derived fuel' (RDF) consisting of the dry material left over after recyclables have been removed from local waste.
St Helens Green Party immediately wrote to the company on behalf of concerned local residents, asking forty key questions about the plans.
After waiting four months for an answer, the Green Party has again contacted the company asking for urgent clarification on all the issues previously raised. The party has also repeated its offer to support any further public exhibitions – provided questions have been answered satisfactorily and issues of concern clarified.
St Helens Green Party's Town Centre candidate for the local elections on 7th May, Francis Williams, says:
"A strong Pilkington means a strong St Helens, so we want to do all we can to support the business. And we very much appreciate the company's initial consultation efforts made last year.
"But there is no getting away from the fact that that there is a lot of local anxiety about the proposals – and this isn't helped by the company's refusal to answer questions about them.
"People living in and around the town centre have a right to know what the impact might be – on local roads, on the environment and on the air that they breathe. Only then can we all decide whether we support the proposals or not."
St Helens Green Party is also asking if the company is considering cleaner, greener methods of generating electricity, such as solar.
In addition, the party's local election manifesto includes visionary proposals to put Pilkington – and its redundant production lines – at the heart of a national scheme to fight fuel poverty through a mass programme of home weather-proofing.
Francis Williams adds:
"In 2026 Pilkington will be 200 years old. The Green Party has ambitious proposals on energy efficiency that could secure the future of Pilkington for its bicentenary and beyond. And these could also act as a catalyst for other 'green' businesses locally and put St Helens at the heart of a green revolution."
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