20 March 2000

GEORGE HOWARTH LAUNCHES DOE’S WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

Less is Best

That was the central message today from Mr George Howarth MP, Minister for the Environment, when he launched the DOE’s Waste Management Strategy.

A key target will be a two-thirds reduction in waste sent to landfill in Northern Ireland. This means providing new and better ways of recovering, re-using and getting value from up to 600,000 tonnes of household waste a year. It is expected that the Strategy will create 1500 new jobs in the recycling and manufacture using recovered materials.

To put the scale of waste into context, Belfast City Council alone collects 200 tonnes of litter every week. It spends £8 million per year, 10% of its budget, on collecting that litter and keeping the streets clean.

Essentially the Strategy has four key objectives:

• to reduce the amount of waste generated

• to make best use of the waste that is generated

• to minimise the risk of environmental damage or harm to human health

• to move practices towards re-use, recycling and recovery - with landfill disposal as a last resort.

In launching the Strategy at Belfast Hilton Hotel, Mr Howarth said: "The Strategy will enable Northern Ireland to comply fully with a wide range of new legally binding European Directives. But it goes much further than just that. For manufacturers, business and the whole community, the Strategy is about looking at the ‘life cycle’ of consumer products so that we use less raw materials, generate less waste and win back more materials to use them again. In short, it is about generating less waste and realising more value.

"At an individual level it is about creating the opportunity for every householder to 'do the right thing' for the environment and the economy by having access to better information and better local facilities.

"It will bring about a well-regulated infrastructure that provides recovery, treatment and safe disposal facilities on a regional and local basis. The knock-on effect of this will be to provide essential support for business growth and inward investment with an estimated 1500 new jobs being created."

Mr Howarth also praised the excellent consultation process embarked on to bring the Strategy forward. He commended the environmental consultants ERM for their assistance. He also praised the remarkable work of the independent Advisory Group who made 104 recommendations for development of the draft proposals, of which 98 have been incorporated, in the final Strategy.

Mr Howarth also paid tribute to a former Environment Minister, Lord Dubs, for his vision in progressing the Strategy, and highlighted the role of Sam Foster and the Environment Committee of the Assembly.

"I would like to thank Sam Foster, Reverend William McCrea and the Committee for their work on the Strategy which has enabled it to be finalised and published. This is a good practical example of how local Minsters and locally elected representatives can make a positive contribution to good government in Northern Ireland."

In mapping the way forward Mr Howarth said: "To encourage stakeholders, and to guide and accelerate change, the Department will establish a non-executive Advisory Board representative of all key sectors. The Board will perform a vital role by acting as a conduit between Government and stakeholders. In addition, it will take an accurate pulse of how the sectors are performing, enabling us to build on strengths and address any weaknesses."

Mr Howarth concluded by saying: "Our commitment is to lead by example, and this we will do. But the Strategy cannot bring about change by itself. For it to be successful everyone - from householders to company directors – from community groups to local and central government, will have to meet their responsibilities by taking appropriate action. I call on everyone to 'do the right thing'."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Strategy is a requirement of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

It was launched at 11.30am Monday 20 March in Hilton Hotel Belfast.

Steve Aston from DOE’s Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) will be available for interview at media convenience.

To arrange interviews please contact Philip Maguire DOE Press Office Tel 028 9054 0013.