The results of a survey by local government officials in Guangzhou that the Likeng garbage incinerator caused no environmental or health problems have come under fire after environmental officials said those in charge of the survey did not speak to or visit anyone who lives nearby.

The findings of the survey, which were released early this year, indicated that burning trash in Guangzhou's Baiyun district was safe and that neither deaths nor cancer cases have risen after the incinerator was put into operation three years ago.

"The survey is very bureaucratic and incompetent, as none of the local households has been visited by relevant officials and personnel for the special survey," said Zhao Zhangyuan, a researcher from the Chinese Environmental Research Institute.

The findings of the survey are not credible, Zhao said.

The survey was conducted by the city's center of diseases control after local media reported last month a growing number of cancer and death cases in Rongxing village near the Likeng garbage incinerator.

An official from the center admitted its officials and staff never visited a single household during the week-long survey in December.

"Due to the time limit, the center jumped to the conclusion after the center and local police studied only the death and cancer patients' medical records from local medical organizations, finding no increase of cancer cases caused by operation of the garbage incinerator," the official who refused to be named was quoted as saying by local New Express Daily yesterday.

The figures would be suspect given that they would not include statistics for those who went to a hospital outside the area, or who did not go to hospital. Some of the patients went to doctors and never went to a hospital, Zhao said.

Zhao said burning garbage can produce many poisonous gases even when the most advanced technology and equipment are used.

Zhao, a prominent figure in the fight against burning garbage in the country, said no experts dare to promise garbage incinerators are safe if they are less than one kilometer from housing estates.

Zhao has urged officials to shut down the Likeng garbage incinerator to return local villagers a clean environment.

Guo Weiqing, a professor from the Guangzhou-based Sun Yat-sen University, once led his students to visit Rongxing village and the Likeng garbage incinerator. He said the city's center for diseases control cannot be not responsible for handling such a survey, because the negative results would certainly weaken the government's credibility.

"Many villagers have complained about serious air and water pollution after the incinerator was put into operation, but none of the government departments have handled their complaints in the past years," Guo told China Daily on Monday.

"Local government departments have been told how many people have contracted cancers or have been killed after the Likeng project was put into operation. It is not difficult for them to visit local households for the survey," Guo said.

Despite protests from local villagers, the second phase of the Likeng garbage incinerator is still under construction in an area that was once planned for planting trees by the local environmental protection department.

The second phase of the project is expected to be put into operation later this year.

Last Thursday, five people were seriously injured when a water-cooling pipe at the Likeng garbage plant exploded.

The case has further raised local villagers' concern on the safety of the garbage incinerator.