HC Deb 17 July 2003 vol 409 cc628-9W
Mr. Dodds

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures have been taken to introduce a doorstep recycling service for every household in Northern Ireland. [125548]

Angela Smith

The Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy, published by the Department of the Environment in March 2000, provides a framework for developing waste management practices to increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. A key element of the Strategy is the preparation of Waste Management Plans by district councils, as required by Article 23 of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

Waste Management Plans covering all of Northern Ireland are now in place, and are currently being implemented. The plans were adopted following extensive public consultation throughout each district council area; they set out the full range of activities and facilities to be put in place to provide a recycling service to the people of Northern Ireland, taking account of the needs and circumstances of individual district councils.

The activities and facilities to be put in place include a mix of kerbside collection for individual households and home composting schemes, and the development of new and enhanced civic amenity sites and recycling centres. The plans are geared towards achieving the primary target set out in the Waste Management Strategy of recovering 25 per cent, of household waste by 2005.

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