Topeka ? A landfill plans to make electricity from its waste and sell it to Westar Energy Inc., officials from both companies said Wednesday.

Waste Management Inc. will develop a landfill gas-to-energy facility at its Rolling Meadows landfill in Shawnee County.

Landfill gas is produced when microorganisms break down organic material to produce methane and carbon dioxide. The methane will be used to power generators to produce electricity.

The proposed facility will produce up to 6 megawatts, which is enough to power up to 6,000 homes.

“Our facility will benefit the local environment and economy because it will help offset the need for nonrenewable resources such as coal, natural gas and oil,” said Jason Chan, district manager for Rolling Meadows.

Westar President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Moore said, “We are pleased to be part of delivering clean energy from a source that would otherwise just be a waste byproduct.”

Officials said they hoped to have the project running by 2010.

Houston-based Waste Management said it planned to have 60 landfill gas-to-energy projects at its landfills by 2012.