Recycling targets for household waste have been cut despite protests by environment campaigners.

Opponents to the Newhaven incinerator protested outside Hove Town Hall yesterday to call on Brighton and Hove City Council to adopt tough new waste targets recommended by an independent inspector.

The protesters claim the lower targets proposed by the council for recycling and composting will result in more rubbish being trucked to Newhaven to be burnt.

But the ruling Labour administration, backed by the Conservative opposition, decided to scrap the inspector's recommendation because, they said, their targets were higher than levels set nationally.

Jan Marshall, a teacher from Mount Pleasant in Newhaven, said: "I hoped to persuade Brighton and Hove to deal with its waste by recycling and reusing locally."

Councillor David Fitton, from Lewes District Council, said: "Brighton and Hove just wish to dump their rubbish in Newhaven. If they are not going to recycle it, it will just go to the incinerator there."

During the committee meeting environment councillor Gill Mitchell said the suggestion that new recycling and composting sites must be found was "radical".

She said: "Our own targets exceed national targets and will be tough to meet."

Councillor Keith Taylor, Green Party convenor, broke into a protest song before voting against the council's lower recycling targets, saying: "To incinerate 250,000 tonnes of mixed waste a year is bound to undermine recycling."

Councillor David Watkins, acting leader of the Lib Dems, supported his Newhaven colleagues by voting for higher recycling.

An inspector had recommended the council "recover" 80 per cent of waste by 2015, with 45 per cent recycled and composted. The council has now ruled it will only try to recover 67 per cent of waste with just 40 per cent a year being recycled or composted.