Livingstone challenges London's incinerator plans

London mayor Ken Livingstone is to challenge the government's decision to approve the construction of Europe's largest incinerator.

Owned by Riverside Resource Recovery, the £250m plant, scheduled to be constructed in Belvedere, south-east London, was given the go-ahead by energy minister Malcolm Wicks last month, who claimed it would help tackle waste in the city.

However, Livingstone is now working with Bexley Council to help secure a judicial review of the government's decision.

The mayor argues that the decision to approve the plans undermined the battle against climate change and was not in the best interests of London.

When operational, the plant has a 585,000t per year capacity.

[Contract Journal, 26 July 2006, p. 6]