LANCASHIRE'S controversial waste strategy has been adopted -- with leading councillors announcing it is up to the public to make sure rubbish-burning incinerators are not needed.

Members of Lancashire County Council's cabinet committee met yesterday to give their backing to the strategy, which has the backing of all of Lancashire's 15 authorities.

At the heart of the plan is the recycling of 40 per cent of the 785,000 tonnes of rubbish Lancashire produces by 2005.

The strategy says this can be achieved through better education, more recycling facilities and revamped waste centres, or tips.

But it also warns that, one day, dumping rubbish in the ground will have to be replaced with another system of disposing un-recycled rubbish.

Building trash-burning incinerators which also produce energy is the favoured option, despite vociferous opposition from Green groups. They claims toxins produced by the incinerators are dangerous to the health of people living near.

Yesterday's meeting confirmed that a final review on how to deal with un-recycled rubbish would take place in 2005.

County Councillor Brian Johnson told the meeting: "There is no risk-free way of disposing of rubbish. We have until 2005 to reduce as much as possible the amount going into landfill sites.

"Many schemes are being set up by district councils to promote recycling. Councils will soon get £42 per tonne for recycled rubbish, up from £26. That is a huge incentive.

"We have had a lengthy consultation process, from which we had 20,000 responses. The vast majority were in favour of producing energy from burning waste."

County Councillor Chris Cheetham, who sat on the waste strategy steering group, added: "We have to have the courage to grasp this nettle and improve things, not only for our children, but many future generations."