Residents' health fears over plan to burn more waste
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- Environment Agency approved a 10% increase in waste processing at the Beddington incinerator, adding about 35,000 tonnes annually and raising the total limit to 382,286 tonnes.
- Sutton Council formally objected to the increase, citing insufficient capacity and Viridor's repeated permit breaches that led to a compliance rating downgrade.
- Jim, a Sutton resident, reports a toxic chemical smell, throat irritation and heightened dust levels near the incinerator, especially when wind drops.
- Viridor, the operator of the Beddington incinerator, says the plant exceeded emission limits 916 times between 2022‑2024 due to a third‑party contractor, but claims the breaches were small and non‑hazardous.
- Beddington incinerator is subject to stringent conditions and round‑the‑clock emission monitoring by the Environment Agency.
Why it matters: Sutton residents and a nearby school face higher exposure to pollutants as the incinerator processes an extra 35,000 tonnes of waste, while Viridor gains additional throughput and revenue under tighter monitoring.
