The Department of Environment's (DOE) Operation Plan has been published.

The plan manages and regulates waste in Northern Ireland.

Last year the DOE discovered around 500,000 tonnes of illegal waste dumped in the Mobuoy area, Campsie, just outside L'Derry. At that time, the Environment Minister gave a commitment to publish an Operational Waste Plan for Northern Ireland.

An independent review, The Mills Report, published last December, highlighted there were systemic failures in the management and regulation of waste in Northern Ireland including significant criminal infiltration. It also identified a lack of a joined up approach to tackling this problem with agencies often working in silos and that partnership working with councils, industry and the waste sector was critical.

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Commenting on the need to implement a radical new approach, Mark H Durkan said: "The failures identified by the Mills Report require a new radical, and coordinated approach. A key part of this is for DOE to improve traditional methods of regulation and enforcement.

"My position is clear, we need to use every mechanism available to tackle the serious problems identified. A narrow approach relying mainly on traditional crime fighting and tougher enforcement are indeed critical to creating a legitimate and successful waste sector in Northern Ireland. However, used in isolation they cannot solve the problem. This was a point emphasised strongly in the Mills report.

"Arguably the most important actions in the Waste Plan will require strong partnership working between the new local councils and my Department. Powerful co-operation between the central and local arms of government will go a long way to ensuring the proper management of waste in the North."

(CD/MH)