Photo: Supplied/ SIRRL
Zero Waste Network Aotearoa says the company behind a controversial waste incinerator should not be allowed to buy South Canterbury land.
South Island Resource Recovery Limited (SIRRL) last month had its consent application for a Waimate waste to energy plant enter the system after two prior rejections for missing information.
If constructed, the plant would truck in 365,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste annually, which would then be burnt, producing electricity and toxic ash.
The company was majority internationally owned (60 percent) and had to apply to the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) to buy the land for the plant. Its application was being processed.
Zero Waste Network general manager Dorte Wray wrote to the OIO urging it to decline the application.
Under the Overseas Investment Act, "consideration must be given to benefits to the natural environment of the sale".
Wray believed the sale would not benefit the environment or the economy.
"This incinerator would create large greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
"Burning rubbish is more polluting than coal or gas. It also releases toxic "forever chemicals".
Zero Waste Network Aotearoa did not believe claims about economic benefits brought by the proposal stacked up either.
"Some estimates show that for 10,000 tonnes of waste products and materials, one job can be created if incinerated, six jobs if landfilled, 36 jobs if recycled and up to 296 if refurbished and re-used," Wray said.
SIRRL director Paul Taylor. Photo: Supplied / SIRRL
"Allowing an overseas company to come here and contribute to climate change while poisoning the local population is clearly not in New Zealanders interest."
SIRRL director Paul Taylor had previously told RNZ significant research had been done to ensure the proposal would be safe.
"If those reports had come back and suggested that there was any negative effect on the health of people or the environment or the waste minimisation strategy of local and regional community groups, then we would not have gone ahead with launching the resource consent application."
The reports covered air quality, flood risk, transport movements, the plant's life cycle and waste acceptance criteria, among others.
A decision from the Overseas Investment Office was expected in November.