Minster councillors have agreed to support plans to enlarge an incineration power plant on condition that none of its waste is sent to Sheppey .

Trish Hamilton, clerk of Minster parish council, said members support an extension of the Allington Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) near Maidstone on condition that by-products of flue dust and bottom ash are not disposed of on the Island.

She warned: "The increase in traffic congestion and the accompanying rise in air pollution along local roads will be intolerable."

There are already fears that two other incinerators, the Wheelabrator K3 Generating Station and Kemsley North Waste to Energy Facility being built or planned near Sittingbourne , could ferry waste to the Island's Norwood landfill site at Brambledown along the A2500 Lower Road.

An upgraded K3 is set to burn 657,000 tonnes of waste a year and a new Kemsley North plant, both next to the DS Smith paper mill near Ridham Dock, is planned to incinerate 390,000 tonnes a year. The pair of generators could make enough electricity to power 240,000 homes and businesses.

Miss Hamilton added: "The A249 between junction 5 of the M2 and Grovehurst roundabout leading to Kemsley is already frequently gridlocked. With its commissioning, we estimate that approaching a million tonnes of waste a year will be carried to the site by approximately 200,000 HGVs."

The A249 already serves Queenborough and Rushenden industry, Aldi’s regional distribution centre, Eastchurch prison cluster (the third largest in the UK), Morrisons regional warehouse, the Ridham Dock industrial estate plus residential and holiday traffic.

Miss Hamilton said: "Apart from the deleterious effect of such an increase in vehicle exhaust emissions to residents en route, past experience has demonstrated serious concerns over the effectiveness of control measures on site to ensure the safe discharge and management of what is an extremely toxic material.

"The inevitable conclusion is that if it is the intention to take the very substantial increase in Allington’s incineration residues, around 8% of the raw waste input, to Norwood landfill it would present an unacceptable level of risk to residents’ health."

FCC Environment (UK) Ltd wants to extend Allington Integrated Waste Management Facility by adding another processing line to handle an additional 350,000 tonnes of waste a year.

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