Friends of the Earth has vowed to continue its fight against proposals for an incinerator and are examining the latest plans closely.

Waste company Onyx, which has a 25-year contract with East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council, is proposing to burn more than 200,000 tonnes of rubbish on the site at North Quay, Newhaven.

The charity says the amount is more than half the area's current waste and is opposed by numerous groups including Defenders of the Ouse Valley (Dove) as well as four town councils and Lewes District Council. Lewes MP Norman Baker has also publicly criticised the councils' waste plans.

Friends of the Earth say the incinerator is at the heart of the waste local plan, the blueprint for dealing with waste in the area.

The charity says the plan does not fit with Government waste policy because it puts incineration first, before making maximum use of recycling and composting.

The group also says recycling and composting rates are far too low and better performance is at risk if an incinerator of this size is built.

Friends of the Earth wants to see at least half of waste in the area recycled or composted by 2015. It says the councils' target of 38 per cent by 2015 is not ambitious enough.

Waste campaigner Alison Walters of Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth said: "It's a waste of resources to burn rubbish. It's not fair on Newhaven to be literally dumped on by neighbouring towns and villages."

Caroline Kenward, co-ordinator of Lewes Friends of the Earth, said: "The councils have closed their ears to the thousands of people who have opposed their plans previously.

"Their waste strategy is not supported by the public." Brenda Pollack, regional campaigns co-ordinator for the South-East, said: "We will fight this application alongside the local community.

"This wasteful burner is not needed and not wanted."