At least one major hurdle has been cleared in the approval process for a new garbage incinerator in Durham Region.

On Wednesday night, Durham Regional Council voted 19-7 to approve the energy-from-garbage facility, in spite of angry protests from some residents of nearby communities.

The plan is to build the incinerator in Clarington on a 12-hecatre property near Courtice Road and Highway 401.

The facility will have the capacity to burn between 150,000 and 400,000 tonnes of trash each year. The energy created will be enough to power about 15,000 homes, according to the project team.

But many residents who live near the proposed site are worried that if Durham decides to go with incineration, there will be risks to their health and the environment, as well as an increased financial burden for taxpayers.

There are still many obstacles to overcome before the incinerator is built.

The site has to undergo an environmental assessment and a health study. The technology to be used as well as the vendor have yet to be decided.

The price is still unknown, but it is estimated to be between $150 million and $250 million.

The plan will go before York Regional Council, which has a 12 per cent stake in the incinerator, on Thursday.

Then it will be up to the province.

If it goes ahead, the incinerator will be the first built in Ontario in 16 years.