SOUTHAMPTON'S newest landmark has been formally opened, generating electricity for up to 22,000 homes around the county.

The striking Integra South West Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) in Marchwood, which looks like a giant silver metallic dome, was formally switched on this week to continue the task of disposing of tens of thousands of tonnes of Hampshire waste a year.

The new plant, built as part of a £200m waste management investment across Hampshire, sits on the western banks of Southampton water and takes in up to 165,000 tonnes of un-recyclable waste a year.

Waste is then burnt and the heat used to drive turbines and generate around 17MW of electricity - the majority of which goes straight to the national grid for use around the county.

It also features state-of-the-art filters to remove impurities from the burnt gas before the emissions from the plant are released back into the air.

Although the Marchwood ERF, run by the company Veolia, became operational three years ago, problems with getting the roof finished meant formal opening was delayed until the whole plant was fully up and running.

Official opening Denis Gasquet, worldwide CEO for Veolia Environmental Services, officially opened the facility in front of a crowd of around 100 before showing civic leaders from across the county around the facility.

He said: "The opening of this facility vividly demonstrates Hampshire's pioneering approach to waste infrastructure and its far-sighted waste management strategy.

"Marchwood ERF and the other facilities in Hampshire have been vital to the county's impressive landfill diversion record and demonstrate that energy recovery and high levels of recycling go hand in hand."

The Hampshire Waste Strategy is the most progressive integrated waste management system in the UK and provides sustainable waste management for all domestic waste in the county.

Partners in the project include Hampshire County Council, the two Unitary authorities of Portsmouth and Southampton, the eleven district councils, including New Forest District Council, where Marchwood is situated, and Veolia Environmental Services.

As well as the incinerators, Veolia also manages on behalf of the authorities two materials recovery sites when plastics, metals and glass are removed for recycling, and three composting sites which process garden waste into useful garden fertiliser.