Proposals to set a minimum 60% recycling and reuse target for Northern Ireland by 2020 have been announced by Northern Ireland Environment Minister Alex Attwood.
The target would apply to household, construction and industrial waste streams, as this is where the minister believes most impact can be achieved. It is one of a series of measures outlined within a proposed new delivery programme for the province’s future waste strategy.
The strategy will also place greater emphasis on strong waste prevention measures and puts forward a prioritised series of actions and interventions in key areas of waste to increase municipal recycling rates to 60% by 2020.
Outlining his plan, the Minister said: “These are very ambitious targets that I am setting. It is right to do so, given the benefits to the environment, the valuable resources locked in waste and the jobs that could be produced. We need to be imaginative and push ourselves to achieve them.”
He added: “We have the capacity – given the character and size of our population – to lead these islands on the disposal of waste and the green agenda.”
Can churches lead the way in terms of recycling by providing labelled bins for recyclables and encouraging members to recycle as much as they can both at home, church, work & school?