Introduction of energy facilities in all our interests - Poots

Environment Minister, Edwin Poots, today outlined the importance of the introduction of energy from waste facilities for Northern Ireland.

The Minister was speaking ahead of his visit to some of Denmark’s leading waste facilities, including the Vestforbraending Waste to Energy plant near Copenhagen. Denmark is acknowledged to have one of the most sophisticated waste management systems in Europe.

The Minister said: “Local government is embarking on a major programme of waste infrastructure procurement, requiring investment estimated to be in excess of £550 million, with a commitment by the Northern Ireland Executive to contribute £200 million towards that.

“As the Minister tasked with responsibility for administering this fund, I must see at first hand, and understand, the type of facilities that we are seeking to develop. Energy from waste has to be a key feature of the Northern Ireland’s waste management strategy, and I am looking forward to seeing and hearing how effectively this has become a core element of Danish national energy policy, and in particular how it has become an integral feature of many Danish households with cost-effective district heating schemes.”

The Minister will also visit a modern Community Recycling Centre and the Copenhagen Recycling Centre for construction and demolition waste.

The Minister said that failure to meet European targets for diversion from landfill could result in fines of £180 million per annum, fines that would ultimately be borne by every ratepayer/taxpayer in Northern Ireland. He added: “Our first priority for avoiding these fines must be to prevent waste, encourage the re-use of valuable resources and the recycling of waste when it arises.

“I am convinced that we will need to put all our efforts into these activities and the recovery of energy from waste if we are to avoid the fines and improve our environment. We need to see what has worked elsewhere in Europe, and take advantage of the lessons countries such as Denmark offer. I am keen to establish links with colleagues in the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, the Danish Ministry of Environment and the Danish waste sector.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Minister will be visiting Denmark from 14 – 16 December. He is combining visits to Danish waste facilities with attendance at events linked to the UN Climate Change Conference.
2. Northern Ireland has a population of approximately 1.8 million and no energy from waste facilities. It still relies heavily on landfill for disposal.
3. Denmark, with a population of some 5.5 million, has integrated high energy from waste production (upwards of 60%) with high recycling rates (around 40%) and an almost total ban on landfill, and has managed to achieve this with one of the lowest waste-to-energy gate fees in Europe.
4. Denmark has 29 energy from waste plants treating 26% of the total waste generated, and producing environmentally friendly electricity and district heating. Studies have shown that heat from waste to energy facilities is generally the cheapest source of heating in Denmark.
5. The Landfill Directive sets increasingly demanding targets for the diversion of waste from landfill between now and 2020. Analysis of NI waste data has demonstrated convincingly that even if we increase recycling levels to 50%, the most economical and environmentally responsible way of dealing with the residue of the waste after all recyclates have been removed is to use it to produce energy.
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