Paul Gibbs (Oxford Mail letters, April 29) is absolutely correct. There is considerable opposition to the use of incineration for the disposal of waste. No one can be in any doubt that the use of landfill has to stop, and I would have to say that the present waste disposal site at Ardley has been, on the whole, a reasonable neighbour to the surrounding villages.

However, the core of my, and many others’, objections lies in the choice of incineration as an alternative.

This is an old technology, fast reaching the end of its useful life, but the county council is apparently quite happy to lock itself (and us) into a 25-year contract.

There are other, better, alternatives available, and I am not satisfied that these have been fully pursued.

I share Mr Gibbs’ very real concern that Oxfordshire County Council has completely ignored the democratic process, and is seeking to impose the incineration solution on an unwilling public.

There has been no proper consultation, and it certainly would appear that they have favoured economic factors over the environmental ones.

The decision to allow around 250,000 tonnes of Co2 into the atmosphere every year flies in the face of its own stated goal of reducing carbon emissions, to say nothing of the health risks posed by toxic bottom ash and dioxins and furans in the flue gases.

I suggest that those who feel strongly on this topic should use the opportunity offered by the local elections to demonstrate their opinion of local democracy as practised by the current Conservative majority on the council (and supinely accepted by the Labour opposition).

Tony Ashe

Bucknell