The 25 breaches at the Edmonton Eco Park facility during 2022 was the most of any incinerator in the country, new analysis shows

Edmonton incinerator has been named as having the most environmental permit breaches in the UK.

The facility at Edmonton Eco Park – which is more than 50 years old and is in the process of being replaced – had a total of 25 breaches during the 2022 calendar year, more than any other incinerator.

Although the data on the breaches was first published a year ago, new analysis by trade publication Ends Waste and Bioenergy has looked at all energy-from-waste (incinerator) facilities across the UK and found Edmonton had more than any other in that year.

Of the 25 breaches at Edmonton, six were deemed to be in category three and 19 in category four. According to government guidance, category three breaches “are associated with a minor impact on human health, quality of life or the environment” while category four failures “are associated with no impact”.

Most of the breaches have been blamed on people putting gas canisters in their bins, which then release gas during the incineration process.

However, the age of the incinerator at Edmonton is also said to be a factor in the permit breaches.

Martin Capstick, managing director of North London Waste Authority (NLWA) which runs Edmonton Eco Park under its trading name London Energy Ltd, said: “The facility at Edmonton Eco Park is now Europe’s oldest. It’s why we took prudent action not to delay its replacement but instead invest in world-class infrastructure to deal with North Londoners’ bin-bag waste in the most sustainable way possible.

“North London’s new Energy Recovery Facility [incinerator] will have advanced technology to capture pollutants and protect air quality, making it the cleanest and safest facility in the UK. Currently under construction, when the new facility begins operating it will provide electricity and heating for many thousands of local homes for decades to come.

“Significantly though, energy-from-waste [incineration] is one of the most regulated industries in the UK, with continuous monitoring and reporting to the Environment Agency mandated. While the age of the current facility is a contributing factor – which is being closely managed until the new facility is built – most of the breaches were very brief and were in the main caused by gas canisters in the waste. These caused small spikes for 30 minutes each time.

“At mostly category four, these breaches would have had no associated impact on health or the environment, while the six that were category three would have had a minor impact. Many other energy-from-waste facilities [incinerators] around the UK had more category three breaches. In reality in 2022, Edmonton’s current energy-from-waste facility [incinerator] was 99.77% compliant on emissions despite the number of breaches.”

Edmonton incinerator burns waste from across seven North London boroughs. Construction of a new, larger incinerator at Edmonton Eco Park is well underway and is due to be completed next year.

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