Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take action against Viridor for exceeding its permit level for waste disposal at its Runcorn Energy from Waste site.

The Environment Agency (EA) does not intend to take any enforcement action as a consequence of Viridor exceeding its permit level for waste disposal at its Runcorn Energy from Waste site. The exceedance was authorised by the EA on a temporary trial basis due to the plant’s routine shut-down period being shorter than usual, and will not have led to an unacceptable impact on the environment. Viridor will need to apply for a permit variation in order to permanently increase its annual throughput of waste. Any such permit variation is likely to be subject to public consultation.