SEVERAL thousand houses across St Helens are being powered by electricity converted from methane gas from former landfill sites in the area.

The exciting initiative was revealed in a report to St Helens Council's Planning Committee who heard that fundamental changes to the way waste is dealt with, together with new waste facilities, will be needed if the council is to meet demanding targets set by the Government's National Waste Strategy.

Councils are expected to recover value from two thirds of municipal waste by 2015.

Any reduction in the amount of waste landfilled will reduce the council's landfill tax bills, which have increased in recent years.

A Regional Waste Strategy consultation document, soon to be published by the North West Regional Assembly, is likely to indicate, within a number of options, the number of new waste facilities required, to meet the Government targets.

Some of the more controversial options, will highlight the need for waste incinerators.

A separate study, undertaken by the Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority, has indicated a desire to concentrate on reduction, recycling and composting, although this alone may not result in sufficient waste being diverted away from landfills.

The Government Energy Policy has also set targets that require 10 per cent of energy to be provided from renewable resources.

While waste incinerators may contribute to meeting this figure, the committee heard that initiatives currently taking place on old landfill sites, such as Buff Quarry, Ravenhead Quarry, Billinge Hill and Holiday Moss, where methane gas is converted into electricity, is already providing enough energy to power several thousand homes.