JUST one of the power stations in our region, Drax near Selby, produces seven per cent of the UK's electricity and, in the process, burns 36,000 tonnes of coal a day.

It beggars belief that we, a mere 20 or so miles away, have our backs to the wall about how much combustible material is ending up in landfill sites.

We already have an established collection for recycling glass and cans, the rest, with some capital expenditure in adapting the furnaces, could reduce that figure by a useful amount.

However, it seems to be solely our responsibility as consumers to eat less and select our purchases by the packaging alone with no requirement for Government and big business to play an active part in achieving solutions to the waste problem.

Keith Wellburn,

The Village,

Strensall, York.

Updated: 11:40 Thursday, September 29, 2005