Leeds anti-incinerator campaigners hold Civic Hall protest

Campaigners opposing plans to build a municipal waste incinerator in east Leeds have held a protest on the steps of Leeds Civic Hall. In the region of 30 members of Leeds Friends of the Earth (FOTE) and the No2Incinerator group both highlighted their opposition to Leeds council plans to build a plant either near Knostrop wastewater treatment works or on the former wholesale market site in Pontefract Lane, Cross Green. Protesters also held a wheelie bin race around the Civic Hall during Saturday evening's protest. The protest was watched by hundreds of ice skaters on the temporary rink in Millennium Square. Dave Fanaroff, of Leeds FOTE, said Leeds council was moving closer towards making a 'short-sighted' decision on which company it wants to build a incinerator to burn waste. He told Guardian Leeds: "We want to send out a message to the council that councillors still have time to change their decision over an incinerator. They need to take a different approach to make the city a better place - the council ought to be encouraging recycling. "Building a new incinerator is likely to encourage people not to recycle, put more lorries on the roads, create pollution and won't even get rid of all the waste. Friends of the Earth strongly believes that there alternatives which do not involve burning and are safer for people and the environment. It's about time Leeds moved into the 21st century." The No2Incinerator campaign raised concerns over the long-term safety of the incineration process and the negative impact the project could have on people's health and the area's chances of regeneration. But Leeds council has said that it would not promote a project that would have a detrimental impact on the health of a local community and that a full environmental impact assessment would be carried out. What do you think? Are you for or against a waste incinerator in East Leeds? Have your say in the comments section below.