The energy from waste plant and the replacement clinical waste incinerator have yet to be built.

The report from the Division of Chemical Hazards & Poisons, London noted that National Air Quality Standards (NAQS) for nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter will be exceeded surrounding this site. However, the modelling suggests that the contribution of the incinerator would be minimal and that these Air Quality Standards would be exceeded without the contribution of the incinerator. Of the 18 other pollutants tested by the model none exceeded air quality standards. The report concluded that on the basis of current knowledge, it would appear that no significant health effects would be expected arising from the operation of this process.

When looking at air pollution across a wider area it is necessary to look at the relative contributions from different sources. It has been established that higher levels of the pollutants in the area in question are due in the main to local and national road transport networks, and that industry contributes a relatively small amount.

It has been argued by some that there will be pollution impacts from the proposed plant outside the Borough of Slough. The London Borough of Hillingdon's Air Quality Action Plan (summary for consultation, Jan 2004) identifies that regulated industry only accounts for 3.3% of Nox emissions whilst 26% comes from road transport and 58% comes from Airport on site activities. Hillingdon's Draft Action Plan rejects the closure or relocation of plant as excessive, given the relatively small contribution from industry. It would therefore would be unreasonable to curtail developments that are not the main cause of the problem, or likely to be.

Research by the Institute for European Environmental Policy carried out in March 2001 concluded that "the potential for impacts on the health of local populations is extremely small" and that there are other significant emissions from other sources - such as motor vehicles - that deserve more immediate attention than emissions from incinerators.

Pollution caused by transport should be managed by looking at transport as a source of pollution, and strategies to do this are driven by national government. Government research has shown that air movements from Europe strongly influence PM10's or particulates in the UK and could be responsible for a number of exceedences of this pollutant. This type of trans-boundary problem should be tackled at EU level, and again the main sources of the problem should be targeted.

There is independently verified continuous air quality monitoring in Colnbrook, at Pippins school. Daily updated information and historical data is displayed on the Council's web site. Historical data from the numerous diffusion tubes around the borough is also available.

The Environment Agency's IPPC authorisation for the proposed plant is subject to strict monitoring arrangements. It has also been agreed that Slough Borough Council will work with Slough PCT, the Berkshire Health Protection Team, the Environment Agency and Grundon Waste Management to develop and implement detailed monitoring arrangements in the area.