Self-proclaimed waste-to-energy expert and SIRRL director Herman Sioen claims Project Kea is “Best of the best.”
“It goes one step beyond what would be normal practice in Europe. For every potential risk, there is a double system; if one would fail for some reason, there is always a second system that takes over and ensures the emissions are ok.”
When SIRRL returned to Waimate in March 2023, they hosted what they termed “information sharing sessions” to provide more information about the Project Kea incineration plant proposed for Waimate. Mr Sioen repeatedly referred to W-t-E practices in European cities, providing incentives for W-t-E in Europe that don’t exist in little old Waimate. Incentives for building plants in highly populated areas, servicing central heating requirements, proximity to waste sources, and the scarcity of land for landfilling. Mr Sioen said, “If you take a hot shower in Paris, the chances are the rubbish from the day before has provided the hot water.” Comments like these underscore the Significant discrepancy between the European and Waimate contexts.