SHENZHEN, Guangdong - The government of the special economic zone is having trouble finding a location for the construction of a gigantic garbage incinerator.

Lu Ruifeng, executive deputy mayor of Shenzhen, said the city plans to build the world's largest garbage incinerator, with a designed capacity to handle more than 5,000 tons of garbage a day.

"But it is really a headache to choose the right location for the project," Lu said.

Lu made the remarks while meeting with Chen Xiaochuan, vice-chairwoman of the Guangdong Provincial People's Congress, who was leading a group of deputies from the province's legislative body to inspect the city's environmental protection work early this week.

Although Lu did not reveal what the problems were, insiders said the city government worried the project could meet opposition from people living near any chosen location.

In Guangzhou, about 100 kilometers away from Shenzhen, the city government had to postpone construction of a similar project in its Panyu district last year because of residents' strong opposition.

After the Guangzhou government chose a site in the Panyu district to build its garbage incinerator in late 2009, the overwhelming majority of nearby residents signed a petition to oppose the project. They were worried it would pollute the environment and harm their health.

As a result, the Guangdong provincial government had to make concession and announced it would postpone construction.

The Guangzhou garbage incinerator project had also stirred controversy among environmental experts and scholars.

Zhao Zhangyuan, a retired researcher for the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, said incineration will cause pollution.

"Burning garbage produces many poisonous gases, even when advanced technology and equipment are used," said Zhao, who strongly opposed construction of the project.

Guangzhou authorities are now looking for a different site to build their garbage incinerator.

But Xu Haiyun, chief engineer with the China Urban Construction Design and Research Institute, said garbage incinerators will not pose health risks because the gases discharged would be strictly in line with the country's standards.

"There is a garbage incinerator in downtown Bonn, Germany, and similar facilities have been constructed in Japan," Xu said.

Lu Ruifeng promised Shenzhen's garbage incinerator would use the world's most advanced technologies, equipment and management system and uphold the strictest discharge standards to avoid polluting the environment.

"Shenzhen, a densely populated city that lacks land resources, will treat its waste mainly through burning in the future, in addition to burying and composting," Lu said.

According to Lu, Shenzhen's treatment rate of consumer waste will exceed 80 percent in 2015.

In addition, a number of garbage treatment facilities will be built or expanded in the coming years.

Yin Qingwei, a Shenzhen white-collar worker, said the city needs to build a big garbage incinerator to deal with its growing garbage problem.

"But the government should carefully consider the public opinion and seek suggestions from residents to choose the right location," he said.

Construction should not start before the majority of residents have reached an agreement with the government, he added.