Under the regional assembly's 20-year plan, West Sussex will take 1.6 million tons between 2006 and 2015 and one million tons between 2015 and 2025.

Nine councils across the South East take the city's waste for landfill.

West Sussex council said the figures would be challenged, while the assembly said London's waste was being reduced and the South East did not take it all.

The South East Plan states that there are currently "significant" movements of waste to other regions of the country.

WHERE LONDON'S WASTE MAY GO Berkshire 8.5% Buckinghamshire 16.8% East Sussex 8.4% Hampshire 8.4% Kent and Medway 12.2% Milton Keynes 10.1% Oxfordshire 17.0% Surrey 8.4% West Sussex 10.1%

But it continues: "The South East is also a major importer of waste, mostly from London, with a smaller amount from the South West."

Exports from London into the South East of municipal, commercial and industrial waste are estimated at about 1.8 million tons per year, according to the plan.

West Sussex councillor Frank Wilkinson said opposing the plan would be "one of his crusades".

He said: "Having to deal with London's waste will undermine the county council's efforts to deal with the county's own waste mountain.

"We simply do not have the capacity."

Councillor Henry Smith, leader of the council, said the authority would fight the plan "tooth and nail".

The assembly said the strategy set out to reduce waste and maximise re-use, recycling and recovery of materials.