FRANK TURVEY,
Madam, - On the front page of your business supplement of January 17th you published a dramatic colour photograph of a waste incinerator in Krefeld, Germany, taken against a setting sun and showing what appeared to be appalling atmospheric smoke pollution.
Not believing this could happen in Germany, where they are most careful of their environment, I investigated further. My suspicion that the smoke was in fact harmless condensed vapour was confirmed.
Moreover, the photograph had nothing to do with the article on the German economy to which the reader was referred by the picture caption.
Disinformation such as this, which encourages strong negative reactions to the limited but necessary role of high quality incinerators in waste management programmes, does not help the efforts of county councils, government and the engineering profession (to which I belong) in solving the very serious waste problems in this country.
I hope this was just an unfortunate mistake. - Yours, etc.,
FRANK TURVEY,
Church Road,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.