The Waste Recycling Group were showing their proposals to the public at Notts County football club on Friday.

The company, which wants to install a third furnace expanding capacity by 40%, said it has always operated within strict environmental guidelines.

But those against the plans say incinerators can produced deadly fumes before anyone is alerted.

We also do our own checks of the emissions as well - we don't just rely on what they are telling us Greg Broughton, Environmental Agency

Protestors have gathered at Meadow Lane with placards, hoping to put pressure on the Environment Agency, which has to approve the plans.

Jon Beresford, Nottingham Against Incineration and Landfill, said: "Incinerators are very poorly regulated. For example they are spot checked for two of the worse pollutants - Dioxins and PCB's - only twice a year.

"These are two of the most carcinogenic and poisonous substances known to man and the incinerator companies often know who is doing the spot checks and when."

The site, near Ladybay Bridge currently burns around 150,000 tonnes of waste a year but the new furnace would increase this by 100,000 tonnes.

Greg Broughton, from the Environmental Agency, said: "Most of our visits are unannounced and we will just call in.

"We also do our own checks of the emissions as well - we don't just rely on what they are telling us."

Paul Carey, from Waste Recycling Group, said: "All of our emissions are within very strict limits set by the Environment Agency.