LARAC -

Waste policy devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The Department of the Environment (NI) Planning and Environmental Policy Group  (PEPG) is responsible for environmental legislation in Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Environmental Agency (NIEA) currently takes the lead on advising on, and implementing, environmental policy and strategy. NIEA has the waste regulatory role as legislated for in the Waste and Contaminated Land (NI) Order 1997.

Toward Resource Management: The Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy 2006-2020 provides a long term vision and framework for the waste management in the Province (currently under review).

Northern Ireland is divided into 26 single tier local government districts which are supported by the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA).

A planned Review of Public Administrations, reducing the number of councils to 11, has been postponed until at least 2015.
 
In Northern Ireland some functions, which in other parts of the UK would be undertaken by councils, are provided by government departments or agencies, for example education, social services, planning, road and water services.

The 26 local authorities in Northern Ireland have formed into three sub-regional waste management groups for the delivery and development of waste management plans and infrastructure:

•    ARC21
•    North West Region Waste management Group (NWRWMG)
•    Southern Waste Management Partnership (SWaMP 2008)

The three waste management groups in Northern Ireland have each prepared a waste management plan for their respective region for the period 2006 – 2020 in order to meet the NI Waste Management Strategy objectives.

The Landfill Allowances Scheme Regulations (2004) Northern Ireland (NILAS) came into force on 1 April 2005. The scheme does permit free transfer of allowances within NI, but does not permit trading of allowances.

Under the Landfill Allowances Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009, the biodegradable content of collected municipal waste is assumed to be 64% by weight.

Penalties for exceeding allowances are set at £150/tonne of BMW.

Does not apply in Northern Ireland

National targets for household waste set in 2006 Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy are to recycle and compost:

                35% by 2010
                40% by 2015
                45% by 2020

However it is expected the 2020 target will be increased to 50% in line with the revised Waste Framework Directive.

It is expected the 2020 recycling/composting target will be increased to 50% in line with the revised Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC).

No specific targets in place.

NI Best Practicable Environmental Option Guidance (2005):

    By 2010: recycling/composting rate of at least 35%, combination of Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT)for about 10% waste

    By 2013: recycling/composting rate of at least 40%, combination of MBT, Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and thermal treatments for about 20% waste, less than 40% to landfill

    By 2020: recycling/composting rate of at least 45%, combination of MBT,AD and thermal treatments for about 30% waste, no more than 25% waste to landfill

The Hazardous Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 implement the Hazardous Waste Directive (Directive 91/689/EC) in Northern Ireland, and require separation and segregated storage of hazardous wastes.

All local authority Household Waste Recycling Centres act as designate collections facilities for waste electronic and electrical equipment, and household batteries. Some individual authorities offer segregated collection facilities at their Centres for other hazardous household wastes, such as paints/thinners and automotive batteries.

A Framework for Waste Prevention in Northern Ireland was published in 2005.

It is expected that specific targets for waste prevention and reduction will be announced in 2010 in accordance with the revised Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC).

No statutory targets in place.

Central Government Departments committed to reducing paper waste by 10% per year.

Increasingly, local authorities in Northern Ireland are implementing Environmental Management Systems such as ISO 140001.

NI Assembly £3.13 million Rethink Waste Fund (2010-11) for the introduction of initiatives that will boost recycling and reuse activities.

NI Executive £200 million Strategic Waste Infrastructure Fund  (2008-11).

The local Government (Best Value) Act Northern Ireland 2002 requires local authorities to continuously improve with regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

Individual local authorities have also adopted other quality management tools such as Charter Mark, ISO 9001 and the EFQM Excellence Model.

Local authorities are required to report to the Department of the Environment NI on six key waste collection and disposal indicators.
 
Local authorities must also report quarterly to NIEA on the following:

    KPI (a) Household waste sent for recycling/composting as a % of household waste arisings
    KPI (b) Household waste landfilled as  % of household waste arisings
    KPI (e) Municipal waste sent for recycling/composting as a % of total municipal waste
    KPI (f) Municipal waste landfilled as a % of total municipal waste arisings
    KPI (g) Biodegradable Municipal Waste landfilled (tonnes)
    KPI (h) Household waste per household per annum (tonnes)
    KPI (j) Total municipal waste arisings (tonnes)
    KPI (n) Municipal waste arisings increase/decrease as a % of preceding years arisings
    KPI (p) Household waste per annum per capita (tonnes)

Quarterly Waste Data Flow returns to NIEA.

No formal benchmarking club exists at present but some ‘ad hoc’ benchmarking of local authority activities is undertaken within the three sub-regional waste management groups.

APSE Northern Ireland represents 13 local authorities, and the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) is an associate member.

Not applicable in Northern Ireland.

Rethink Waste NI campaign launched in April 2010 with the aim of raising awareness of sustainable waste management in homes, schools, businesses and workplaces across NI.

Each of the 3 sub-regional waste management groups has a Communication Strategy and carries out joint waste awareness initiatives.

Environmental Youth Speak is an annual waste themed public speaking competition run across all 26 councils (now in it 11th year).

A majority of local authorities are Eco-Schools NI partners.

Landfill tax credits are no longer allocated to waste reduction and recycling activities.

£3.13 million Rethink Waste Fund launched May 2010: grants available to local councils in partnership with community/third sector organisations for schemes which will boost waste recycling and reuse.

Support for local authorities in Northern Ireland is available from the WRAP Recycling and Organics Technical Advisory Team (ROTATE).

Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER) addresses knowledge gaps relating to environmental issues.

National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) launched in Northern Ireland in 2007.

WRAP Northern Ireland support programme for construction & manufacturing sector, composting, and businesses.

In 2005, the Community Waste Innovation Fund replaced landfill tax credit funding for community waste management projects. The scheme is currently under review.

Northern Ireland Environment Link is the forum and networking body for organisations interested in the environment of Northern Ireland.