Business leaders have given East Sussex County Council a backhanded compliment for raising public awareness about waste.

The East Sussex Federation of Small Businesses said plans to build an incinerator at Newhaven could change throw-away habits built up over generations.

Organiser Ken Stevens said people were beginning to turn to greener solutions than landfill and incineration because of the plans.

He said: "We can thank East Sussex County Council for doing more on this front than any other participant.

"By advocating a single massive incinerator sited at Newhaven, it has started the education and culture change process."

He told the public inquiry into waste plans drawn up by the authority, together with Brighton and Hove City Council, the federation was "fundamentally opposed" to a large burner built under the guise of an energy from waste project.

He said: "The city council just went along with the idea as it had no other short-term viable option. In any case it is not down-wind from an incinerator sited in Newhaven."

The councils have identified two incinerator sites, at North Quay, Newhaven, and Mountfield Mine, near Robertsbridge, and have set recycling targets of about 40 per cent.

Contractor Onyx Aurora, which has already signed a 25-year waste disposal deal with the councils, wants to build a single burner at Newhaven.

Mr Stevens said the federation supported a more aggressive policy of waste minimisation and wanted higher levels of recycling.

He said businesses would be happy to work alongside councils to reduce waste and boost recycling but needed better political leadership.

If landfill sites were being exhausted as fast as claimed some incineration may be needed but there were many potential sites yet to be identified.

The inquiry is scheduled to last until the autumn. The inspector's report is not expected to be published until mid-2004.

Friday June 27, 2003