Companies bidding for a multi-million-pound waste contract with Gloucestershire County Council were greeted by disgruntled residents and campaigners.

The county council was outlining it £646 million PFI contract to the waste industry for the first round of bidding at an industry day conference.

More than 50 protesters waved placards reading "More recycling – no incinerator" and "no to toxic waste".

As more than 40 members of the waste industry turned up to speak about the contract in Gloucester, campaigners handed them leaflets airing their concerns.

The protest came less than a month after the county council agreed the £7.4 million purchase of part of Javelin Park in Gloucester that critics fear may house an incinerator.

And yesterday, residents close to the park joined members of the Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth Network (GFOEN) and SWARD (Safety in Waste and Rubbish Disposal) to make their feelings clear.

Mary Newton, GFOEN's planning and waste officer, said: "It went very well, we had a good turnout and really felt like we got our message across.

"We wanted to ensure that the companies know that there is major local opposition to incineration.

"The county council has confirmed that they would expect their contract to include building a new facility.

"Demonstrators fear this shows a preference for a large incinerator on a single site whose toxic fly ash is likely to end up at Wingmoor Farm, Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire."

SWARD spokeswoman Barbara Farmer added: "Gloucestershire has been the dumping ground for much of the UK's toxic incinerator ash for 12 years now; this has to stop. Whatever technology is chosen to deal with Gloucestershire's residual waste must be one that does not produce any hazardous residues."

GFOEN and SWARD say they believe that a new approach that avoids toxic fly ash is needed and claim it is shortsighted of the county to consider committing to a large-scale incinerator with a long term contract which will tie up increasingly valuable resources by feeding an incinerator for 25 to 35 years.

Mrs Newton said: "What we need is to increase recycling rates and having greater separation at the kerbside to obtain the best commercial benefit.

"Even now, glass and paper companies are importing source separated waste because of the difficulties of obtaining enough in England, where so much is contaminated, co-mingled, mixed collections which usually go to China.

"Action and decision-making on waste should happen within local communities where the waste arises, and when there is a need, small local residual waste management projects on short term contracts on a few local sites around Gloucestershire for the benefit of local communities.

"The county council is not informing the waste industry what it thinks is best for Gloucestershire, instead the decision has been left to the waste industry to come forward with suggestions.

"The invitation to bid was put out to tender on February 4 in the Official Journal of the European Union and is to close on the March 13, after just 27 working days.

"The county has announced that the next stage will only involve three to 10 bidders. How can the county seriously say that 27 working days is sufficient time for anyone fresh to the proposal, to consider all the ramifications."

A county council spokeswoman said: "The county council has met with both groups (SWARD and Friends of the Earth) on several occasions.

"It is keen to hear what these groups have to say."