Environmentalists want councils to aim towards a zero waste strategy instead of building incinerators.

Planners should scrap incineration plans and introduce higher targets for recycling, composting and reusing waste, according to Green members of Brighton and Hove Council.

The comments come in the group's response to waste plans drawn-up by East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove Council.

A consultation on the plans, which ended last month, attracted more than 10,000 comments, many opposed to building incinerators at North Quay, Newhaven, and Mountfield Mine, near Robertsbridge.

Greens say the two councils would be unable to alter the policy for at least 25 years if the controversial burners were built.

Instead, the Greens want 80 per cent of household waste recycled or composted, with the remainder sent to landfill.

They also want the Government to introduce tougher national recycling targets, force manufacturers to produce materials that can easily be reused and change taxes to boost the reprocessing industry.

Green councillor Rik Child said the London borough of Sutton was aiming at a similar 80 per cent target.

He said: "It is entirely realistic.

"It is essential to have a sea change in the philosophy away from disposal and into resource management."