Residents who hoped to see a controversial incinerator trashed by council planners faced a wasted journey - after councillors ended up deferring the matter.
Biffa Waste Services wants build a waste-to-energy plant at Swansea Enterprise Park - rather than send 21,000 tonnes of used material to landfill.
It has generated significant opposition from people and councillors in the area.
The Welsh Government is now considering "calling in" the scheme - which could give ministers the final say.
But locals turned up to Swansea Guildhall on Thursday in the hope the scheme would be rejected.
However, they had barely entered the building before trudging back out again.
Committee member and councillor Des Thomas said: "I think it's very difficult for us as a committee to make a decision knowing that the Welsh Government could call in this application."
Six councillors voted in favour of deferral and five against.
That prompted something of a mass exodus, including children carrying "We Say No" placards.
Councillor Richard Lewis questioned the committee's decision saying the group had a chance to make its voice heard.
"I think it (deferral) is totally the wrong attitude," he said. "A lot of people have come here."
Speaking after the meeting, South Wales West AM Dai Lloyd, also said: "I am disappointed that councillors did not take the bold but right decision to reject the proposals outright."
Biffa currently has an existing site in the Enterprise Park's Clarion Close. However, the depot but does not have any waste management facilities and means rubbish collected is bulked up before being transported to Trecatti Landfill site in Merthyr Tydfil .
The firm says the plans would see a £5 million investment in the existing facility, boost the local economy by £1 million and create 15 jobs.
A Biffa spokeswoman previously said: “We understand that the proposals have raised a lot of objections from concerned local residents regarding perceived adverse impacts on air quality and health and we are carefully reviewing these.
“We would like to emphasise that the proposed facility is small in scale and has been designed to only treat waste currently collected by Biffa from businesses operating in Swansea. This facility will lead to a reduction of 1,050 HGV movements per year between Swansea and Merthyr Tydfil."
.png?w=600)
