Environment Minister Edwin Poots announced further funding today to boost recycling, bringing the total made available this year to over £6million.

This third round of funding of £2million is in addition to the £4.5million capital funding that was allocated in rounds one and two through his Department’s Rethink Waste fund. This is for projects that will reduce waste to landfill through recycling or reuse activity.

Speaking on the funding, the Minister said: “The fact that a third round of funding has been secured for recycling projects in the current financial climate acknowledges that waste, when handled correctly, can be a crucial asset for the Northern Ireland economy.

“Much progress has been made in terms of recycling. This is why I am convinced that there is potential to increase recycling rates further and this funding should assist.”

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To mark the announcement, the Department of the Environment’s (DOE’s) Permanent Secretary Leo O’Reilly visited Gortrush Civic Amenity Site in Omagh to see first hand the improvements that will be made as a result of the funding.

Omagh District Council has been offered grants of over £500,000 to improve recycling facilities in the district. This includes site improvements at the Council’s three household recycling centres that will increase efficiency and material capacity at the sites and decrease the number of collections required. This is due to the purchase of roll on roll off skips, compactors and a hook lift lorry.

As a result of the funding, the council has also been able to extend its brown bin service for food and garden waste to 2,680 households throughout the district. Funding received enabled the council to purchase brown bins, food caddies and a refuse collection vehicle. Additional funding through the DOE’s Rethink Waste revenue fund has also meant that the council has produced supporting communications materials to provide householders with information on these schemes.

It is estimated that the 41 successful projects that were offered funding through rounds one and two of the Rethink Waste fund will divert 28,500 tonnes of waste from landfill each year. This will reduce the burden on ratepayers who would otherwise meet the costs of treating this waste.

Minister Poots concluded: “I have secured this further £2million of funding through the Rethink Waste fund to help councils drive up recycling rates, meet our targets, and save ratepayers as much money as possible. I urge councils to submit high quality proposals so that we can deliver on this.”

(GK)