CAMPAIGNERS are  anxiously awaiting the  decision on whether a  multi-million pound incinerator for Exeter will  be given the green light.

Following a public  consultation, the Environment Agency said  the decision on whether  to issue a permit for  what has been described  as a “non hazardous  waster incinerator” to  be built off Grace Road  on the Marsh Barton Industrial Estate was “imminent”.

The agency said it was   waiting for  final information and clarification  from Viridor Waste  Management, which  will run the site,  and  said it could make its  final decision public as  early as today.

Campaigners, who are  hoping to stop the facility being built, say it a  potential environmental  disaster.

 They had 20 days to  register their concerns  up until October 26. The  representations have  been collated and considered and Mike Dunning of the Environment  Agency said they have  all been taken on board.

He said: “We are still  considering the responses and a decision is expected any day now. We  just need a little more  information from Viridor. There has been a  good response. It has  taken time to go through  it very carefully and  take on board the issues  and concerns that have  been expressed.

“If we had made the  decision we would not  be requesting additional  information from Viridor. We take our role as  regulators very seriously. Any decision we  make is robust and  based on sound information and we will make  everyone aware of why  the decision was taken.”

The scheme was first  considered  in 1997 when  the original incinerator  closed.

 It returned to the  agenda in 2007 when the  Echo revealed the county council proposal for  the £32m scheme.

Despite a demonstration by Exeter Friends of  the Earth outside County Hall, the incinerator  was granted planning  permission in July, 2007,  when it was announced  construction work could  begin as early as summer 2008.

 Campaigners hoped it  had “quietly gone away”  until recently when it  was announced that  Viridor Waste Management, which will run the  plant, and the county  council were going  through the tendered  submissions for the contract to build it.

 The incinerator would  burn waste at high temperatures with the energy used to generate  electricity.

Campaign co-ordinator Maurice Spurway,  was behind the original  petition that attracted  more than 4,000 signatures.

He said: “The situation is probably more serious than it was when  we were first campaigning.

 “It is far more important to chase ways of  dealing with waste in as  low carbon a way as possible.

 “An incinerator is certainly not low carbon.”