Faced with the risk of blackouts and rationing this winter, Germany is being forced to “reverse” on environmental protection. The shift includes restarting mothballed coal-fired power plants in response to cuts in Russian gas supplies.
Now, Germany’s Federal Environment Agency plans to allow waste incinerators to increase nitrogen oxide emissions by a third, eventually dropping the limit altogether. Emission restrictions on cement plants will also be eased.
Germany has about 150 waste incinerators, and Germany’s air quality is at risk of worsening when restrictions are eased.
Christian Tebert, a policy adviser at environmental consultancy Oekopol, said: “Germany is already notorious for breaking European nitrogen oxide emissions limits year after year. Give up emissions from waste incinerators, especially cement plants. The restrictions will be a further setback.”