The company behind controversial plans to turn waste into energy at a site in Irvine have defended the project in the face of criticism from a local pressure group.

Irvine Without Incinerators is running a campaign against the Oldhall energy recovery facility which is being built in the town, with letters recently delivered to North Ayrshire councillors.

The campaign was launched in March, though planning permission for the project was granted by North Ayrshire Council more than three years ago.

The campaigners are now hoping to persuade the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) not to grant an operating licence for the facility.

However, developer Doveryard Ltd insists the plant will have environmental benefits and that there are no health and safety issues.

A spokesperson for the company said: “The evidence to support the safety of energy-from-waste facilities is overwhelming.

“It is a tried and tested technology, and a clean and safe way of treating waste that cannot economically or practically be recycled any further, with similar facilities operating all over the UK, Europe and the world.

“Importantly, facilities like these divert waste that would otherwise be going to landfill."

A moratorium was put in place last year on the building of such facilities in Scotland

The Oldhall energy recovery facility was granted planning permission in January 2020 - some two years prior to a Scotland-wide moratorium on further new facilities being put in place.

The spokesperson added: “It will deal with waste that cannot be economically or practically recycled, helping to meet the gap for treatment of post-recycled waste arising from the Scottish landfill ban which comes into effect in 2025.

“This is vital because landfill produces a combination of carbon dioxide and methane, a greenhouse gas that is roughly 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping radiation in the atmosphere.

“Landfill also results in land contamination issues, as it leaves a legacy of toxic chemicals which are potentially hazardous for decades.

“This facility, therefore, prevents this from happening and helps the Scottish Government to meet its net zero targets.”

The firm added: “As part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) prepared to support the planning application, a detailed independent assessment of the potential effects on air quality was carried out, looking at emissions from the stack, as well as HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) visiting the facility.

“The assessment concluded that all health and safety requirements were met.

“The facility will operate under strict SEPA permit conditions. The project is currently working with SEPA to gain its pollution prevention and control (PPC) permit. SEPA determined that a 70-metre stack represented best available technology (BAT) for the facility, hence the increase from 60m.

“We would encourage anyone concerned about the technology to visit SEPA’s website where they will find independent information on how human health and the environment are protected.”