Environment Minister Alex Attwood today recognised the sterling efforts made to reduce waste when he presented awards to winning projects for waste reduction run during the 2012 European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR).

The Minister presented Northern Ireland awards to seven organisations in recognition of their innovation, good communication, and the potential for their waste reduction activities to be maintained and replicated on a much wider scale.

Funded by the Department of the Environment's Rethink Waste campaign, the worthy winners each received a trophy, which were designed and made by Portadown artist, Martin Medlow, using reclaimed metal such as cutlery, bicycle chains, candlesticks and even cufflinks.

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The winners included Junk Kouture, for its innovative Pop-Up Fashion Show at Victoria Square, Belfast. Junk Kouture runs a national competition for second level students in Ireland and Northern Ireland which challenges teenagers to create high-end wearable fashion from everyday junk that would normally find its way into the bin.

In the Local Authority / Public Authority Category, the winner was Limavady Borough Council for its Love Food Hate Waste cookery project with the North West Regional College Catering Department, involving a top Irish chef, Ian Orr.

As part of the Eco Schools project, Carrickfergus Grammar School topped the Educational Establishment Category for the imaginatively named, Nude Food, entry where pupils (from 11 to 18) attended a presentation on the EWWR campaign, on waste and on ways to reduce it, aiming at encouraging pupils to think about and reduce their snack and lunch waste, so that the food was essentially 'bare'.

The Minister said: "This is the second year that my Department has been involved in supporting the initiative and I’m delighted that so many organisations, groups and individuals not only took part, but also came up with such innovative and creative ideas for reducing waste."

(CD/GK)