A new recycling centre is now open for business in the Co Antrim town of Larne.

The NI Environment Minister Alex Attwood has officially opened Larne Borough Council's new Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Larne Borough Council received a grant of £252k from the Department of the Environment's Rethink Waste Fund to build the facility at Island Road Lower.

The Minister said: "The investment by the Department and Larne Borough Council enables local residents to recycle more conveniently. This development will ensure that the residents benefit from a state of the art recycling facility that is quick and easy to use."

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It is understood that centres like this one play an important role in enabling householders to recycle more waste, reduce waste to landfill and in turn enable statutory targets to be met.



"The Department established the Rethink Waste Fund, a resource efficiency fund, in 2010.

"The Fund targets a range of interventions which will promote resource efficiency and generate clear environmental benefits, including interventions to encourage the prevention of waste, the re-use of materials and higher rates of recycling, thereby achieving diversion from landfill," said the Minister.

During 2010/11, 46 projects received £4.2m in capital funding that is estimated to divert approximately 27,000 tonnes per year from landfill.

Further funding of £1.5m capital has been allocated for projects in 2011/12.

Larne Borough Council also received a grant of £165,750 for a glass kerbside collection scheme from the Rethink Waste Fund in 2010/11.

(LB/BMcC)