BARNSLEY'S waste collection service could be bolstered by an incinerator to burn the town's rubbish.

The council has been under criticism since the introduction of fortnightly bin collection last year.

It faces millions of pounds in waste disposal fines and the controversial move would be one way of addressing the problem.

But environment group Friends of the Earth says incineration is a bad idea and there are more efficient ways of disposing waste.

An incinerator has been suggested as way of reducing the amount of rubbish Barnsley takes to landfill sites to avoid record government levies of £3m a year by 2009 and £7m by 2012.

Council leader Steve Houghton says action needs to be taken because the authority cannot afford to pay. Even if it could, the government is making it illegal to continue burying rubbish at the current rate.

He said: “This is the biggest financial problem the council faces over the next ten years and we have to find an alternative way to get rid of waste.

“The issues we have faced over recycling during the last 12 months pale into insignificance when we look at what's coming and we have to deal with this now because some of the solutions will take several years.”

Finance spokesman for Barnsley Independent Group Coun Bill Gaunt says if an incinerator is chosen as the way ahead its siting, and the selection of the company which builds it, need to be carefully considered.

He added: “We need to do what is economically and environmentally best for Barnsley, but we have this problem and something needs to be done sooner rather than later.”