London's Hackney Council has formally dropped its opposition to the £1.5bn rebuild of the Edmonton waste incinerator, reversing a manifesto pledge to explore cancelling the project. The council said abandoning the scheme would be financially and environmentally devastating for the seven north London boroughs that use the plant. Construction costs for the 50-year-old facility have risen 80%, adding £9m to Hackney's projected budget gap, which now tops £21m by 2030. The project has also faced delays from asbestos, unmapped water pipes and a complex sewer diversion. Commissioning is still expected in 2027. The U-turn highlights the tension between local climate politics and the practical realities of waste infrastructure. Burning rubbish is carbon intensive, but the alternative, trucking waste to older, lower performing incinerators, may be worse for both emissions and council budgets.
