Pollution in Runcorn (ongoing process)
A BBC investigation unearthed more than half of all household waste in England is now being burned in energy-from-waste (EfW) incinerators, rather than being recycled or sent to landfill. Incineration is often promoted as a greener alternative to landfill but evidence suggests serious environmental and public health concerns. These large-scale facilities emit harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and substances linked to respiratory illnesses, heart disease, and cancer. Although modern incinerators are fitted with filters, not all emissions are captured, and the long-term effects of low-level exposure remain poorly understood.
Working-class communities living near these incinerators, bear the brunt of the environmental impact. In towns like Runcorn, residents have raised concerns about poor air quality, odour, and health issues since the arrival of the large waste-burning facility. At the same time, the increase in incineration is undermining recycling efforts, locking councils into long-term contracts that require a continuous flow of waste. Critics argue this shift prioritises energy generation over sustainability and comes at a cost to both people and the planet. This project will illustrate ‘environmental classism’ in the UK and beyond for the purposes of understanding how to end it. ‘Environmental classism’ refers to policies or practices that impact less favourably on working-class individuals and groups with respect to the quality of their living, working and leisure environments.” Bell, K. (2020). Working-Class Environmentalism: An Agenda for a Just and Fair Transition to Sustainability.
Inspired by Chris Killip’s black and white social-documentary series Seacoal (1982-4) and Skinningrove (1982-4) this new body of work will aim to highlight the intersection of class, environment, and ecology, encouraging wider public dialogue around environmental justice and regeneration in post-industrial towns and contextualise the communities of Runcorn within the precarious post-industrial Britain and the rise of polluting practies.
Working-class communities living near these incinerators, bear the brunt of the environmental impact. In towns like Runcorn, residents have raised concerns about poor air quality, odour, and health issues since the arrival of the large waste-burning facility. At the same time, the increase in incineration is undermining recycling efforts, locking councils into long-term contracts that require a continuous flow of waste. Critics argue this shift prioritises energy generation over sustainability and comes at a cost to both people and the planet. This project will illustrate ‘environmental classism’ in the UK and beyond for the purposes of understanding how to end it. ‘Environmental classism’ refers to policies or practices that impact less favourably on working-class individuals and groups with respect to the quality of their living, working and leisure environments.” Bell, K. (2020). Working-Class Environmentalism: An Agenda for a Just and Fair Transition to Sustainability.
Inspired by Chris Killip’s black and white social-documentary series Seacoal (1982-4) and Skinningrove (1982-4) this new body of work will aim to highlight the intersection of class, environment, and ecology, encouraging wider public dialogue around environmental justice and regeneration in post-industrial towns and contextualise the communities of Runcorn within the precarious post-industrial Britain and the rise of polluting practies.
Whinney Hill Landfill
It is a warm afternoon and the sky above the Whinney Hill landfill site near Accrington is full of seagulls.
Hundreds of them fly across the site, some landing to forage amongst the bags of rubbish. The air smells rancid. Whinney Hill landfill site is run by Suez and has been operating since the 1970s and takes household waste from across East Lancashire, but it has grown and it is now expanding towards residential areas.
The firm was regulated by the Environment Agency and explained that Lancashire has one of the largest seagull colonies in Europe. After the coronavirus pandemic, the gulls came inland to find food. Almost all modern landfill sites collect the methane gas and generate electricity as a by product, however landfill is seen as the worst option for our black bin waste.
We have been burying our rubbish for decades and despite attempts to reduce it, about 8% still goes to landfill. In the North West of England, we send 290,000 tonnes of household waste to landfill every year.
There are 50 landfill sites in the region and 21 are already at capacity.
In a bid to reduce how much we send to landfill, councils have been hit with higher charges. The main alternative is to burn it.
We send about 43% of our region's waste to incinerators like the EFW Facility in Runcorn, which is run by Viridor.
Viridor burns 3.5 million tonnes of rubbish every year at all of its sites, rubbish which can't be recycled.
The UK incinerated 50.2% of its household waste in 2023-24, a record amount, making it the country's "dirtiest form of power" according to the BBC, and a potential climate disaster. The government is attempting to crack down on new incinerators by implementing stricter environmental standards, but campaigns are calling for a complete ban on new projects to boost recycling and avoid incineration overcapacity.
Many groups are calling for a complete ban on new incineration projects, similar to policies already in place in Wales and Scotland.
Hundreds of them fly across the site, some landing to forage amongst the bags of rubbish. The air smells rancid. Whinney Hill landfill site is run by Suez and has been operating since the 1970s and takes household waste from across East Lancashire, but it has grown and it is now expanding towards residential areas.
The firm was regulated by the Environment Agency and explained that Lancashire has one of the largest seagull colonies in Europe. After the coronavirus pandemic, the gulls came inland to find food. Almost all modern landfill sites collect the methane gas and generate electricity as a by product, however landfill is seen as the worst option for our black bin waste.
We have been burying our rubbish for decades and despite attempts to reduce it, about 8% still goes to landfill. In the North West of England, we send 290,000 tonnes of household waste to landfill every year.
There are 50 landfill sites in the region and 21 are already at capacity.
In a bid to reduce how much we send to landfill, councils have been hit with higher charges. The main alternative is to burn it.
We send about 43% of our region's waste to incinerators like the EFW Facility in Runcorn, which is run by Viridor.
Viridor burns 3.5 million tonnes of rubbish every year at all of its sites, rubbish which can't be recycled.
The UK incinerated 50.2% of its household waste in 2023-24, a record amount, making it the country's "dirtiest form of power" according to the BBC, and a potential climate disaster. The government is attempting to crack down on new incinerators by implementing stricter environmental standards, but campaigns are calling for a complete ban on new projects to boost recycling and avoid incineration overcapacity.
Many groups are calling for a complete ban on new incineration projects, similar to policies already in place in Wales and Scotland.
Assignment in Riesi, Italy
Pictures from a recent four day trip to the town of Riesi, the birthplace and hometown of sacked Strictly dancer Graziano Di Prima, where it is said he has returned to work on his family’s vineyard.
The distraught dance star fled home to Italy to be with his mother, his wife, and the rest of the family after losing his job over claims he kicked, hit, and spat at celebrity partner Zara McDermott during training.
Pictures from a recent four day trip to the town of Riesi, the birthplace and hometown of sacked Strictly dancer Graziano Di Prima, where it is said he has returned to work on his family’s vineyard.
The distraught dance star fled home to Italy to be with his mother, his wife, and the rest of the family after losing his job over claims he kicked, hit, and spat at celebrity partner Zara McDermott during training.
Two Rivers Meet
Crompton Lodge Caravan Park, Bolton
Thomas Ward, a member of the Gypsy community shows me around his home at Crompton Lodge. He has noted double standards in the treatment of people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller groups after Bolton Council started action to evict people from the Crompton Lodge caravan park. Travellers say they’ll be ‘left on the streets’ after the council started action to evict them from a caravan site where they’ve lived for 20 years.
Police say that an investigation they carried out last month into the illegal abstraction of electricity has lead them to cut off power at the site. Police have also reported that toilet blocks on vacant pitches have also been broken into and have been used to store stolen items, drugs and firearms, while stolen vehicles and high-value plant equipment have also been found.
Thomas shows me the toilet blocks with electricity meters inside which have been disconnected, and now he uses petrol generators. He says seven families - approximately 40 people - face losing their homes at the site, some of whom have lived there for two decades.
Thomas Ward, a member of the Gypsy community shows me around his home at Crompton Lodge. He has noted double standards in the treatment of people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller groups after Bolton Council started action to evict people from the Crompton Lodge caravan park. Travellers say they’ll be ‘left on the streets’ after the council started action to evict them from a caravan site where they’ve lived for 20 years.
Police say that an investigation they carried out last month into the illegal abstraction of electricity has lead them to cut off power at the site. Police have also reported that toilet blocks on vacant pitches have also been broken into and have been used to store stolen items, drugs and firearms, while stolen vehicles and high-value plant equipment have also been found.
Thomas shows me the toilet blocks with electricity meters inside which have been disconnected, and now he uses petrol generators. He says seven families - approximately 40 people - face losing their homes at the site, some of whom have lived there for two decades.
