WASTE bosses have insisted that plans for a massive revamp of Raikes Lane Incinerator are to go ahead despite reports that proposals for four new burners across Greater Manchester are being considered.

Bolton-based Greater Manchester Waste Ltd is planning a multi-million pound refurbishment of the incinerator at Raikes Lane so it can deal with a massive volume of waste and provide electricity.

The possibility of providing heating to Bolton residents or local businesses in the town is also being explored and GM Waste is just weeks away from submitting a planning application to Bolton Council.

But the plans were cast into doubt following the leaking of a report by consultants Coopers and Lybrand for the body which regulates waste management in the region, proposing four new incinerators in Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority Chairman, Cllr Richard Fletcher said the Authority is seeking to identify alternative means of waste management to reduce the current dependence on landfill.

The move follows the introduction of the "green" tax on the disposal of waste to landfill sites and the possible ditching of plans to turn Red Moss in Horwich into a huge rubbish dump.

The Red Moss tip plan is now hanging by a thread following a recommendation from planning officers to turn it down and reports that developers UK Waste and Wessex Water are considering pulling out of the venture.

Although GMWDA is looking at a variety of waste management scenarios including recycling and composting, incineration is the cheapest option according to the

report.

If approved, the the first incinerator at Sharston, South Manchester would be in operation by 2002, followed by burners in Salford, Newton Heath and Bredbury near Stockport.

Greater Manchester Waste's finance director, Graham Johnson said the incinerator plans in Bolton are going on regardless of proposals elsewhere.

He said: "This is a facility specifically for Bolton and it is not affected. There is certainly enough waste in Greater Manchester to sustain five incinerators."

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