Friends of the Earth Cardiff Cyfeillion y Ddaear Caerdydd

Viridor have admitted that in order to fill their 350,000 tonnes per year incinerator with rubbish will require an extra 256 waste lorries every day.

This is a 3 per cent increase in traffic congestion and pollution for Cardiff residents as the lorries bring in rubbish from all over south Wales to the site on Ocean Way.

This comes at a time where questions are being raised over the need for new incinerators in the UK following a study by the Environmet Agency which revealed that only 60 per cent of England and Wales' permitted waste incineration capacity was used in 2007.

In addition to the increase in congestion and pollution from traffic, the burning of rubbish releases high levels of greenhouse gases and produces toxic waste.

Cardiff Friends of the Earth believes that instead of hauling thousands of tonnes of rubbish around the country; recycling should be maximised and any residual waste should be dealt with in individual authorities - as close to where it is produced as possible - using cleaner, small-scale, flexible technologies such as Mechanical, Biological Treatment (MBT).