WHAT are YOUR councillors doing to safeguard your health?

The Citizen newspaper has backed the pressure group ARROW (Action to Reduce and Recycle our Waste) to stop plans for a number of incinerators which could be sited in parts of Lancashire -- including Preston and Leyland.

Lancashire's Waste Strategy plan, unveiled in August, states that 32 per cent of the county's waste will be recycled over the next 10 years -- a pathetically low figure, claim ARROW, compared to elsewhere.

Daventry District Council in Northamptonshire, for example, has successfully achieved 53 per cent recycling in just over ONE year.

Campaigners now believe the low recycling rates could mean incinerators being built across the county as the strategy plan cites landfills as the least preferred option.

ARROW claims that cancer/leukaemia cases are double the normal levels in children living within five kilometres of incinerators. Nicola Escott, from ARROW, said: "There is nothing green about any waste plan that involves incineration.

"Even the most modern incinerators have been found to be unsafe. The government's own figures show that 88 people per year are dying and 168 are hospitalised because of lung-related illnesses from just one pollutant coming from Britain's 12 modern incinerators.

"And it states that cancer-causing dioxins from incinerators could shorten lives.

"The waste strategy and public consultation process is run by a waste steering group made up of councillors and officers from across Lancashire.

"It's time this group abandoned their incineration plans and had discussions with advisors who are capable of designing recycling systems to deal with 80 per cent of the waste."

County councillor Richard Toon, chairman of Lancashire's Waste Management Strategy steering group, slammed ARROW's claims as 'scare stories'.

"ARROW is being very mischievous and are trying to deceive the public," he said.

"There is no way that Lancashire can be compared to Daventry -- the comparable size of both communities doesn't allow it.

"They are playing on the emotions of people."

The Citizen newspaper is urging you, the readers, to write to your local councillors and express your views on the incinerators plan.

Alternatively, write to the Preston Citizen, 3 Winckley Court, Winckley Square, Preston, PR1 3JJ or e-mail sgibbons@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk on-line.