NEW medical research has uncovered additional health risks from waste-burning incinerators including a 15-fold increase in one type of cancer, protesters have claimed.

Stop Kidderminster Incinerator (SKI) campaigners say findings published recently in the medical journal The Lancet showed "increasing evidence" linking chemicals from incinerators, like the one proposed for Kidderminster, to a "host" of health problems, including infertility.

SKI spokesman Brian Jordan said the study by the University of Leuven, in Belgium, found teenagers living near waste-burning incinerators contained high level of pollutants including PCBs and dioxins.

"These shockingly high levels of exposure were recorded within what is said to be safe limits," he added.

He said the research suggested these young people could be prone to infertility and retarded development with men developing smaller testicles and women smaller breasts, compared with those living in rural areas.

He added Dr Vivien Howard, a toxicologist from Liverpool University, also commented there was increasing evidence linking chemicals from incinerators to a host of health problems including a 15-fold increase in cancer of the bile duct.

Mr Jordan said: "We hope our director of public health Dr McCloskey will review his position and condemn this dangerous scheme.

"How many reports about the dangers of incineration are needed before commonsense prevails."

But Philip Sherratt, area director of Severn Waste Services which would operate the proposed waste-to-energy plant, said: "Our process has been reviewed by the Environment Agency.

"We have consulted all the statutory consultees including the health authority.

" We're still moving forward, with their support, for authorisation."

Worcestershire County Council planners voted 11-2 at the end of the April 9 planning and regulatory committee meeting to reject the plans to build the £40 million burner off Stourport Road but SWS is considering an appeal against the decision.

Worcestershire Health Authority could not comment on the allegations as the Shuttle/Times and News went to press.