Nod for rubbish power

Household rubbish could soon be burnt to generate Perth's electricity after the State's environmental regulator waved through plans for the city's first waste-to-energy plant.

New Energy Corporation wants to take up to 225,000 tonnes of waste - or about 13 per cent of material that would otherwise be sent to the tip - to produce 18.5MW of electricity.

In a breakthrough for the Perth-based company, the Environmental Protection Authority yesterday gave the project the green light subject to conditions.

However, the Conservation Council of WA took a dim view of the move, saying there was no requirement from the EPA for New Energy to separate key recyclable materials.