Climate protesters from Extinction Rebellion blocked access to the Edmonton Incinerator as part of an ongoing campaign against its planned rebuild.

As part of protests that took place on Monday, December 13, the group prevented lorries carrying waste from entering the site.

Campaigners also blocked access to construction vehicles beginning preparatory work to build a larger plant which they deem “environmentally destructive”.

Activists associated with Extinction Rebellion, Black Lives Matter and Stop the Edmonton Incinerator were among those blockading the roads to the Advent Way plant.

North London Waste Authority (NLWA) is seeking to expand the capacity of the existing site - which dates back to 1969 - and burns the waste of the Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest boroughs.

Construction is set to begin mid-next year on the new incinerator that is 30pc bigger and expected to operate until around 2075.

Sarah Eastwood, a spokesperson for the campaigners said: “We are here to tell our councils and the NLWA that we will not accept this incinerator. 

“It is bad for the planet and bad for our communities - local people deserve better. We won’t stop campaigning until our elected representatives pause to get an independent review of the plans, and conduct a genuine, inclusive and democratic local consultation.”

The Metropolitan Police says a total of eight people were arrested following the protest on Monday.

“Five people were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass; three people were arrested on suspicion of obstructing the highway. All were taken to a north London police station where they remain,” a spokesperson said.

Police added that all obstructions to the site were removed by 4.45pm.

A North London Waste Authority spokesperson previously said: "Public Health England is completely clear that modern facilities like ours do not have a significant impact on air quality or people’s health.

"For the large majority of the year, the contribution to pollution concentrations at ground level is effectively zero and well below the limits of detection. It would only be for a few hours in a year that its contribution would be measurable, and this would be at levels of less than 2 per cent of the relevant air quality standard.

"We understand the positive intentions of protesters, but it is unrealistic and irresponsible to assume that hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste generated by North London residents can be managed without relevant infrastructure.

"Our [incinerator] project will be the cleanest in the country, using emissions control technology which exceeds that [used] in any other facility in the country."