There is no proof that plant of the type proposed for Colnbrook is hazardous to health.

Nearly all of the aforementioned studies were conducted in countries other than the United Kingdom and are of an older generation of incinerators which would fail to meet current requirements for pollution control and emission standards for municipal incinerators in this country.

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.

An epidemiological UK study, conducted by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU), considered the incidence of cancer in over 14 million people living near to 72 solid waste incinerators in England, Wales and Scotland. A review of the results by the Department of Health’s Committee on Carcinogenicity was completed in March 2000. This concluded that any potential risk of cancer due to living (for periods in excess of ten years) near to municipal solid waste incinerators was exceedingly low and probably not measurable by the most modern epidemiological techniques. The Committee agreed that, at the present time, there was no need for any further epidemiological investigations of cancer incidence near municipal solid waste incinerators.”