Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of toxic plastic could be burnt in Britain rather than recycled due to a Chinese import ban, officials have warned.

The leaders of the UK’s recycling industry admitted yesterday they had “no idea” how to cope with the prohibition as the policy came into force.

Britain currently ships around two thirds of its used to China for recycling, approximately 500,000 tonnes each year.

But the new ban, imposed as part of a drive towards self-sufficiency and in order to prevent environmental contamination, means councils will be forced to send the majority of the waste for incineration or landfill unless alternative markets are found.

The move was described as a “huge blow” at a time when public willingness to recycle is high thanks in part to the BBC’s Blue Planet II series.

Meanwhile the Government has been criticised for failing to respond quickly enough to the restriction on imports, which was first announced last summer.

Incinerating plastic risks emitting pollutants such as hydrogen chloride, dioxin and fine particulate matter.

Scientists have warned that, even when the chemicals are captured by industrial incinerators, there remains a risk to the environment and potentially human health.

Simon Ellin, Chief Executive of the UK Recycling Association, told Today: "It's a huge blow for us, it’s a game-changer for our industry.