Sierra Club Conservation Policies - Biomass Guidance
Combustion for energy production is responsible for much of the world's air pollution and, indirectly through deposition, much of its water and land pollution as well. These pollutants, including smog, acid rain, and persistent bioaccumulative toxics, threaten human health and the global ecosystem. All fossil fuels and most biomass technologies aggravate global warming by producing CO2. Unless very carefully managed, biomass operations may not be sustainable and may add to the CO2 problem because of damage to soil health or failure to assure sustainable regrowth of the fuel stock. Biomass is in principle renewable, but native soils hold substantial carbon, mostly in root mass, and while it is possible to preserve soil carbon balances, conventional agricultural practices rarely do so
Biomass Incineration | Energy Justice Network
"Green" biomass (like energy crops) is often a foot in the door for more toxic waste streams. Plants that start off burning "clean wood chips" can easily turn to burning more contaminated fuels (which may be cheaper or even free), or get paid to take really dirty wastes like trash or tires. Economic pressures encourage use of these dirtier fuels.
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/1806207/uk-biomass-industry-incinerators
Plans for a huge increase in waste-to-energy plants across the UK are at risk of being "derailed" as a result of protests from green groups campaigning against local waste incinerators.
That is the stark warning from David Williams, chief executive of renewable energy specialist Eco2 and chairman of the Biomass Sub Group on the government's Renewable Advisory Board.
Speaking to BusinessGreen.com, Williams said that groups such as Friends of the Earth were seeking to stir up public opposition to waste-to-energy facilities at a time when the government has just signalled its support for the technology as part of its new renewable energy strategy.
"Every few years the government puts forward a renewables strategy including incineration, only for groups like Friends of the Earth to campaign against it, " he said. "Every time the government has backed down and there is always a chance it could happen again."
His comments came as Friends of the Earth last week joined with campaign group the UK Without Incineration Network (UK WIN) to release a map showing that over 100 waste incinerators are currently being planned across the UK.
Michael Warhurst, senior resource use campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said that the planned incinerators would lead to high levels of pollution for local communities and result in millions of tonnes of recyclable material being wasted.
