FEARS about the health impacts of an incinerator in Westbury have been ignored by councillors, according to some of the town's residents.

Protesters rallied behind a Friends of the Earth campaigner who called for a review into the use of incinerators in Wiltshire to councillors during an overview and scrutiny meeting at County Hall in Trowbridge today.

However, following the meeting, residents said they felt that worries over the impact of tiny dust and toxic particles raised by speaker Stephen Eaves had been ignored by councillors.

Although plans submitted by Hills Waste Solutions to build an incinerator in Westbury were opposed by both the town and Wiltshire council, a final decision will be made by the Secretary of State.

Caroline Roberts lives in Westbury and is worried about the impact that an incinerator could have in her town. She said: “We have very old and very young in our community and it is those people who will be impacted the most. The people of Westbury oppose the incinerator and we gave the council a petition with 3000 signatures, but they do to seem to care.”

Speaking at today’s meeting, Mr Eaves said: “We are asking the committee to reconsider the inclusion of incinerators as a strategy for waste management. Incineration should be a last resort, we are asking that incinerators should never be delivered within ten miles of human habitation. This council should give priority to reusing and recycling and not incinerating materials. Incinerators release complex  poisons into the atmosphere, toxic metals, tiny particles of dust which are toxically contaminated and releases carbon which intensifies global warming.

“The regulations do not cover these tiny particles but the danger to public health is very real, such as to those residents of Westbury

“There is currently no restriction on how much distance should be between the incinerator and significant settlements. We are asking for a fundamental review of incineration policy.”

Cabinet member for waste, Bridget Wayman, said: “At the moment the waste strategy is a draft and I am not averse to incineration as a method to dispose of waste. It is up to the Environment Agency to respond to air quality issues and it is the Environment Agency that issue permits.”

Calne South and Cherhill councillor Allan Hill added: “We acknowledge the public have concerns but the processes are dealt with at national level and we have no option but to stay within this. Our hands are tied because this government sets the rules.”