AN incinerator proposed for north Oxfordshire would not emit poisonous gases or damage air quality, according to the firm behind the scheme.

Viridor wants to build and run the £100m plant just outside Bicester.

It would burn 300,000 tons a year of the county’s waste and generate electricity to be sold on to the National Grid.

In February, the company applied for an environmental permit to operate the facility at Ardley for 25 years.

The firm is also waiting for a decision by Oxfordshire County Council over which of two proposed sites for the incinerator – either Ardley or Sutton Courtney – gets the go-ahead.

Viridor hosted an information event on Tuesday and had experts on hand to answer any questions.

Action group Ardley Against the Incinerator, which is concerned about traffic, environmental and heath issues, welcomed the event, but criticised the fact that the question-and-answer session was only held for one night.

Jonathan O’Neill, of Ardley Against the Incinerator, said: “There are five of us that I know could not make it because of work commitments.

“For such a big project with a large impact, one night was not really enough. It should have been at least two. It’s not a lot to ask.”

Viridor project manager Robert Ryan said: “We already run the landfill site and want to be good neighbours and offer up information.

“People think because burning materials is an old process the equipment is old. But it will be state-of-the-art, and monitoring of emissions will be as up-to-date as can be.

“People raised a number of issues including traffic, air quality, environmental pollution and visual impact of the facility. The way the plant is designed will enable us to achieve a much higher standard than regulatory requirement.

“There isn’t any smoke, there will be no black soot flying around the countryside.

“There are pollutants exported through the stack but the standard is so negligible that in environmental terms it will have no effect.”

Gwendoline Keeping, of Stoke Lyne, said: “I think it’s a good idea.

“They have promised there aren’t any emissions and I believe them.”

bicester@oxfordmail.co.uk