Environment Minister salutes community recycling project

Environment Minister Sammy Wilson today paid tribute to a Lisburn recycling project which is helping people on low incomes.

During a visit to the Voluntary Service Lisburn’s (VSL) facilities, the Minister saw at first hand how electrical goods and furniture were being recycled for the benefit of the local community.

Financial backing from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s (NIEA) Community Waste Innovation Fund has enabled the project to provide an important service which is recycling goods which would otherwise have gone to landfill and which are sold on to people on low incomes at low costs.

Mr Wilson said:  “With the ongoing ‘credit crunch’ putting so much pressure on people’s household budgets, VSL are providing useful goods that the local community can re-use.

“It manages a furniture restoration project which collects and restores unwanted items which can be sold at a low cost to those on low incomes.

"Not only is this of benefit to local people, it is also reducing unnecessary landfill at the same time.”

The Minister was given a tour of both VSL’s city centre shop, where it sells restored furniture, and its electrical refurbishment workshop.

He also visited the electrical goods recycling facility at Lisburn Enterprise Park.

Mr Wilson praised VSL for its continuing work, singling out the environmental and social benefits of its recycling projects.

VSL collects unwanted domestic white goods such as cookers, washing machines, dryers and small electrical items and repairs and refurbishes them for sale at low cost to those on low incomes.

The Minister was especially impressed at the project’s results, which have exceeded its original aims.

He said:  “To date, VSL has refurbished and sold to those on low incomes, over 132 tonnes of appliances, which would otherwise have gone to landfill.

“I would urge everyone in the area with unwanted furniture and electrical goods to support this worthwhile and smart initiative which is providing tangible environmental and financial benefits to local people.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Voluntary Service Lisburn was established in 1981 to help meet the needs of the disadvantaged, disabled and elderly in the local community. In addition to its furniture refurbishment and white goods recycling, VSL operates a substantial volunteer system, and carries out environmental and community projects.

2. NIEA’s Community Waste Innovation Fund is providing support to VSL until 2009, for its electrical (white) goods recycling project. Anything that cannot be reused and sold on is recycled in accordance with the latest environmental protection legislation.

3. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440.