A new waste prevention website has gone live, marking the first step in a major new 'Rethink Waste' campaign.

The Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland has launched the campaign to raise awareness, encourage best practice and achieve behavioural change among households, and the business, community and education sectors.

The campaign seeks to effect a cultural shift towards better waste prevention and resource management and improved environmental quality in NI.

It also aims to raise awareness of the simple steps that people can take to help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and improve our environment for future generations.

Commenting at the launch at Bryson Recycling, Environment Minister Edwin Poots said: "Rethinkwasteni.org seeks to communicate the message that waste affects aspects of everyday life in households, businesses, schools and communities right across Northern Ireland.

"We are asking individuals and organisations to rethink their attitudes to waste and to become more aware of simple steps that they can take to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover waste in order to send less of it to landfill.

"Everyone has a part to play if Northern Ireland is to comply with EU targets and avoid infractions."

The website contains carefully tailored information for each target group, and aims to engage the public through user-friendly, interactive features.

"It will also act as an effective portal and signpost to partner organisations, with a focus on sharing best practice across different sectors."

(NS/BMcC)