Oxfordshire County Council is considering alternative means of disposing of waste after the Government confirmed strict new limits restricting the amount of rubbish being dumped in landfill sites.

By 2020, 75 per cent of all rubbish must be diverted from landfills.

And next April, councils will face fines of £200 for every tonne of rubbish dumped in landfill sites over their permitted "allowance".

Over the past year (2003/2004) the county dumped 226,000 tonnes in landfill sites -- 75 per cent of the total. If it does the same in 2020 it would be fined £32.8m. Adam Symons, head of waste management at the county council, said: "This is obviously a big thing. It is a balance between protecting the environment and the cost of doing that.

"We need to be up-front about what we are going to do. The public needs to understand we have to change -- we don't have a choice over this."

About 20 per cent of household rubbish in Oxfordshire is recycled, but even if this figure rises dramatically, the council will still have to find alternatives to landfill.

These include:

Incineration -- where rubbish is burned, and the heat used to generate electricity

Mechanical-biological treatment, where waste is sorted into different sizes and materials through a series of processes, including magnets. Any organic materials can then be made into compost or recycled

Anaerobic digestion -- where material is sorted into organic components which are then fermented, which gives off a gas. This is then used to generate electricity

Gasification or pyrolysis -- processes which use heat and pressure to convert waste into gas. The gas can also be used to generate electricity

Composting -- allowing garden and kitchen waste to be sold back to the public and used on gardens.

Mr Symons said: "If people don't sort their waste enough we will have to provide facilities to do something else.

"There are a range of options but we would have to build the facilities at a cost to the tax payer."

But Green city councillor Matt Sellwood, warned against relying on incinerators to reduce landfill. He said: "It is important that we do not replace one environmental problem with another.

"Incineration is not the answer to our landfill issues, and will only produce dangerous chemicals in an area which already has alarmingly high levels of air pollution."

Mr Sellwood, who is also vice-chairman of Oxford's central, south and west area committee, added: "Oxfordshire, like the rest of the UK, clearly produces far too much waste.

"The city council is still far behind the Government's 25 per cent recycling target. We must do more, immediately." County councillor executive member for sustainable development Anne Purse said: "It is vital for the sake of the planet -- and for the sake of the county council's budget as in the end it means people will have to pay more in council tax."

Earlier this month the Oxford Mail reported that recycling in Oxfordshire was at its highest-ever level.

But Mr Symons said more needed to be done.

He added: "The message these figures send us is that we can't go on as we are."

maddy.biddulph@nqo.com hghghghghg Recycling reaches 40% A CONTROVERSIAL recycling scheme in the Cherwell district has been hailed a success, with more than 40 per cent of household waste now sent for re-use.

At the first anniversary of the scheme, the district council claims recycling in Bicester, Banbury and Kidlington and north Oxfordshire's villages had beaten its 30 per cent target. Before the scheme was introduced only 11 per cent of rubbish was recycled.

But it has sparked problems for some people who called for a return of weekly waste collections, and for others who wanted to use brown wheelie bins, designated for garden waste, as blue bins, which are designated for paper, plastic, and cans.

Cherwell's executive member for the environment Kieron Mallon, said: "This has been a brilliant effort by all those involved, especially our residents." , who have played their part in a scheme which has made a huge impact."

"There's now a very strong chance that our success will see Cherwell among the top council's nationwide.

"Making such big cuts in the amount of waste we dump is great news for the environment.

"The scheme has had valuable spin-offs, including collecting thousands of tonnes of garden waste which is turned into compost for local farms.

"We are delighted to celebrate this successful first anniversary. Topping 40 per cent is better than we had hoped. But we are determined to continue to promote the service and push the recycling figures up even further."

Anyone who would like more information on the recycling scheme should call 01295 221940.