Recycle 60% Of Waste, Says Environment Minister

Environment Minister Alex Attwood today announced his plans to introduce a statutory 60% recycling target for Northern Irish households.

The target goes beyond the 50% household waste recycling rate requirement set out by Europe and will have to be achieved by 2020.

Plans for the target were announced last year by former Environment Minister Edwin Poots but were voluntary.

Mr Attwood said making the target compulsory would offer "certainty" to local authorities.

He said: "Northern Ireland can step up to the plate and surpass the existing target. Making the 60% recycling target compulsory gives certainty to everyone involved in this area of the waste industry. They now know where they have to get to by 2020. Although significant progress has been made over the last decade, I am mindful that we cannot be complacent. Instead, we must increase the momentum of change towards achieving a resource efficient and low carbon economy. Setting a challenging recycling target should help achieve this goal."

Mr Attwood said financial support would be available through the Rethink Waste Fund for local councils, businesses and the voluntary sector to help them achieve the target.

Primary legislation will be put in place to give DOE the power to introduce the statutory recycling target. There will be a public consultation on the draft legislation so stakeholders will be able to assist in developing the detail to support this target.

Legislation is already in place to set a 70% recycling and recovery target for construction and demolition wastes.

(NE)