Residents slam arc21’s waste information campaign

arc21, an umbrella waste management group made up of the six councils in the east of the province, is behind proposals for a residual waste treatment facility in the Boghill Road area of Mallusk.

It is designed to deal with waste from a significant portion of the population and includes mechanical and biological treatment, energy from waste thermal treatment and incinerator bottom ash treatment facilities.

The Department for Infrastructure announced in September 2017 full planning permission had been granted for the facility at the Hightown Quarry site. However, in 2018 the Court of Appeal ruled Stormont officials did not have the legal authority to grant permission for the facility.

Last week the Times reported that an information campaign has been launched by arc21 to explain what it says is the urgent need for councils to develop new waste infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

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Community group No-Arc21 was established to highlight residents’ concerns over the proposed waste management facility.

Members have been voicing opposition to the plans since March 2013.

Commenting on the arc21’s recently launched information campaign, No-Arc21 Chairman Colin Buick said: “Our group note that arc21 is attempting a new ‘information campaign’, however this amounts to nothing more than a repackaging of the same tired lines which have been used for years.

“No amount of spin can change the fact that the vast majority of our local community simply do not want this project to go ahead.”

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