Essex County Council's decision to approve the new county waste plan without specifically ruling out incinerators has provoked reaction among district councils and in the House of Commons.

County council Leader Lord Hanningfield said there were no plans for incineration under the current administration, but, if an incinerator were forced on the county, a referendum would be held.

At least four Essex MPs have signed a notice of motion in the House of Commons calling on the Government to allow the county council to specifically exclude incinerators in its waste plan.

Cllr Trevor Miller, the chairman of a consortium of borough and district councils which backs the ruling-out of incineration, said, "It is a grave disappointment to the members of the consortium that the county council has approved a plan which would allow large waste incineration plants to be built at six locations in the county of Essex.

"Each one of these would be a major industrial building taking in waste by road from wide areas of the county. There are continuing doubts about the safety of similar plants elsewhere in the country and the way ahead lies in the recycling of our waste rather than in burning it."

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