This government is allowing councils across the UK to press ahead with new incinerators that will poison us

Mark Strutt, Greenpeace volunteer

A second team then scaled the 100-metre chimney to stop the plant releasing gases into the air.

Greenpeace claims the incinerator routinely releases significant quantities of dioxins that the World Health Organisation classifies as causing cancer.

The plant is owned by the French multi-national, Onyx.

"The industry calls this incinerator a flagship but it is needlessly putting our children at risk," said Mark Strutt, one of those occupying the chimney.

"The Government has warned us that one in three people already consume more dioxins than is safe and half of all babies and toddlers exceed that limit.

"Yet records show that this plant discharges large amounts of these dangerous chemicals and the Environment Agency (EA) do nothing about it.

"The Government's environment minister has said that emissions from incinerators are extremely toxic - yet Tony Blair sends his rubbish to an incinerator without a second thought.

He said the government plans to build up to 100 more similar plants across the UK.

'Proud record'

"This government is allowing councils across the UK to press ahead with new incinerators that will poison us," said Mr Strutt.

"Instead of being reckless with our health the government should replace...Britain's incinerators with modern schemes to re-use, recycle and compost our rubbish."

However, the EA rejected Greenpeace's claims, saying it is "proud of its record of reducing harmful substances in the environment".

"We want to make it clear that we would not issue any licence to a facility that we thought could cause ill health among the community living around it," the EA said in a statement.

"[However] the agency acknowledges that London faces a large and rapidly growing waste problem.

"And, for the time being at least, incineration will remain part of any strategy for dealing with it."