of a community has come out in support of a similar scheme in the US.

Although the incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio, is specifically being built to burn only hazardous waste it has caused similar environmental concern to the one under construction in Tyne's Bay, Devonshire.

Earlier this month US Vice-President-elect Al Gore announced plans to close the Ohio plant.

But, in a letter to the New York Times, the community of East Liverpool has attacked Mr. Gore and Greenpeace the environmental action group.

The letter is signed by East Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Columbiana County Progress Council, Tri-State EDGE, People for Progress, Employees of Waste Technologies Industries and Van Roll, manufacturer of both incinerators.

Independent MP Mr. Stuart Hayward called for a review of plans for the Tyne's Bay incinerator in light of the clash over the Bermuda incinerator.

It states: "The incinerator -- Waste Technologies Industries -- is located in our town. It is our hope for industrial rebirth.

"Through 10 years it has received the most thorough legal and regulatory scrutiny of any industrial facility in the world. It passed every test with straight As because it is one of the most advanced environmental clean-up facilities in the world and built by one of the world's most sophisticated and responsible engineering firms, the 169-year-old Von Roll Ltd. of Switzerland.

"On behalf of the overwhelming majority of East Liverpool's citizens we ask you to let WTI open on schedule.'' The letter goes on to say that East Liverpool has been hit by the closures of steel mills and pottery makers and 20 percent of the working population is on welfare.

It continued: "WTI is the first major industrial investment in town in 20 years. It has produced 500 union construction jobs, jobs that will continue when expansion begins immediately after the plant opens.

"It is creating 125 permanent jobs, plus (according to the economists) two `ripple effect jobs' for each of the 625 construction and operating jobs.

"Its $1.7 million in local taxes and $3.5 million payroll will enable the town to improve its schools and services. The plant's $600,000 additional annual tipping fees are dedicated to rebuilding our downtown and creating new jobs there.

"The city hospital will receive a dollar for every one of the 60,000 tons of industrial waste it processes a year, a big boon to local health care.'' The letter says: "We bet Greenpeace forgot to say that WTI is so clean that, if closing sets a new standard for all the nation's industrial plants, no new factories will open or expand in the US for years to come.

"Close it and you are setting a standard that will ship millions of jobs overseas -- a bad way to start your defence of America's economic security.''