The sites include a business Park in Whitfield, the former Tilmanstone colliery, the disused Richborough power station and the Link Park in Lympne.

Graham Gibbens, cabinet member for regeneration at Kent council, said the county was producing too much waste.

"We've got to look at a means of disposing of the waste in east Kent."

He added that across Kent there was still not enough recycling taking place.

"We've recently completed the construction of the site at Allington and this will cover west Kent's waste."

Mr Gibbens said incinerators should be situated close to main roads and trunk roads so waste vehicles didn't travel through the middle of town centres and villages.

'Some impact'

"Also I want to have them where as few people as possible are impacted and the sites that we have identified do in fact meet that requirement."

But Sue Bermingham, chair of Tilmanstone parish council, said the area nearby was residential and the direction of the prevailing winds would affect people living there if an incinerator was erected.

She also said even though the main route to the proposed site would be via the dual carriageway it was "inevitable" that vehicles would try to use the surrounding villages.

Mr Gibbens said: "I do accept there will be some people who will have some impact but we have tried to keep that to the absolute minimum."

He added the pollution and dirt caused by vehicles travelling through town centres and villages greatly exceeded the impact of incineration.

The consultation is set to continue until 4 October.