Incinerators in the Netherlands and Germany are to burn Norfolk's rubbish, after councillors agreed to ship waste abroad.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk's waste will be sent to northern Europe to be burnt.Norfolk's waste will be sent to northern Europe to be burnt. (Image: Archant © 2006)

Waste will be dispatched to Costessey, Rackheath and Wisbech where metal would be removed with a giant magnet and the rest would be shredded before being exported across the North Sea under the proposals.

Norfolk County Council's environment, development and transport committee agreed to the move at its meeting on Friday morning.

The council said the £68m four-year deal would dispose of 160,000 of the county's 210,000 tonne waste mountain and save taxpayers £2m each year.

A further 40,000 tonnes of rubbish will be treated at the plant in Suffolk following a deal in May.

Objectors from Friends of the Earth held up 'no incineration' banners at the meeting.

A contract to build an incinerator at Saddlebow, in King's Lynn, was ripped up last year.

Conservatives at today's meeting accused their political opponents, who had campaigned against incineration in Norfolk, of hypocrisy in being prepared to send it abroad.

But Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP councillors said this was a pragmatic solution for the short term, while alternative technologies for dealing with waste are developed.