Environment Minister Edwin Poots today attended the formal signing of a contract between Magherafelt District Council and City Industrial Waste Ltd to help reduce waste to landfill.
Magherafelt District Council achieved a household recycling and composting rate of over 50% in 2009/2010. The Council have advised this level of recycling was due to the roll out of their brown bin collection scheme and a pilot exercise carried out with City Industrial Waste.
Magherafelt Council is now entering into a contract with City Industrial Waste Ltd to process the remaining 50% of their waste. Under the terms of the contract this material will be processed through City Waste’s Materials Reclamation Facility (MRF) which will provide a total minimum recycling and diversion rate of 75%.
The Minister also heard about City Industrial Waste’s success as a leading waste collection and recycling company in Northern Ireland. City Waste provide a complete waste collection and recycling service to both private and public sectors. They support the government and European Union policies intended to minimise waste and increase recycling.
During his visit, Minister Poots had the opportunity to tour the Council’s Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Speaking at the facility Mr Poots said: “Partnerships between companies like City Industrial Waste Ltd and Magherafelt District Council play a very important part in the development of the local recycling sector. Investment in local recycling infrastructure will contribute to further increases in Northern Ireland’s recycling rate.
“To this end my Department has made some £5m available to district councils this year through the Rethink Waste fund. Investment of this nature will help Northern Ireland to achieve at least 50% recycling of household waste by 2020 as required under European legislation.”