I REFER to the letter from Theo Godfrey (February 27), "Recycling waste only way forward".

I believe that Mr Godfrey is absolutely right to advocate the recycling of waste materials as that will undoubtedly reduce the amount of landfill space required and help protect the environment. However, as the former superintendent for the Barnfield Road incinerator plant, I would like the opportunity to provide the true facts about the incinerator plant.

It was designed in Denmark where they have recycled waste materials for decades. It was designed to burn waste such as paper and wood, which was the only type of material burnt in Denmark. In Swindon there was no such recycling system and it would have been impossible for staff to 'hand-pick' non-ferrous or any other non-combustible materials from almost 1,000 tonnes of waste tipped at the plant each week. Non-combustible waste such as tin cans, bottles and even items such as car engines was sent through the combustion process of the incinerator even though it would never burn.

This lack of foresight caused numerous mechanical breakdowns. But it is wrong to call the plant a white elephant. Despite lack of finance and the unsuitability of the waste, it was handling up to two-thirds of Swindon's household waste, with 44,000 tonnes a year plus industrial waste being disposed of there in a year.

The plant was closed in 1991 by Wiltshire County Council after running for almost its full life expectancy of 20 years.

Incineration has now become a less favourable method of waste disposal since there are concerns about the dioxins during the combustion process.

The answer to Mr Godfrey's question "what went wrong at Barnfield Road?" is simple. Lack of investment and lack of an efficient recycling system of waste materials in Swindon.

K KANE

Ellingdon Road

Wroughton