Hertfordshire County Council backed a move to oppose the building of a waste incineration plant for the county in the next five years.

Tuesday's environment committee meeting heard that public concern over the health and pollution effects of waste incinerators had forced the council to focus on other means of disposing household waste, in particular recycling and composting. Tough Government targets require Hertfordshire to recycle and compost 22% of waste by 2003, double the amount presently disposed of in this way.

Landfill space in the county is rapidly diminishing, and is due to run out in 2007. The amount of household waste in Hertfordshire has increased from 475,000 tonnes to 513,000 tonnes over the last year, and is expected to continue to rise at a considerable rate. Costs to collect and dispose of waste are also on the up.

'We cannot recommend incineration while the public has fears about its safety. We need to see clear evidence that demonstrates it is safe technology' said Jane Pitman , chairman of the environmental committee, 'But the first challenge must be to look at ways of boosting the amount of recycling and composting while minimising the amount of waste produced in the first place.'

The county council is set to join Hertfordshire's ten district and borough councils in preparing a waste management blueprint. A report will be commissioned from consultants Enviros Aspinwall, who will suggest new methods of dealing with Hertfordshire's household waste.