New guidelines will stimulate economic growth - Poots

Minister for the Environment Edwin Poots today launched new guidelines for business to help tackle waste head on and boost the Northern Ireland economy.

As part of it’s Better Regulation Programme, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has joined forces with the Environment Agency in England and Wales and WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) to develop guidelines for business on recovering value from waste materials. Three Waste Quality Protocols are being launched in Northern Ireland today, outlining the steps industry must take in order to fully recover specific waste materials and turn them into marketable products:

• Production and use of quality compost from source-segregated biodegradable waste;
• Production and use of quality outputs from anaerobic digestion of source-segregated biodegradable waste; and
• Production and use of processed fuel oil from waste lubricating oils.

The benefits of Quality Protocols are numerous. Firstly, compliance with the Protocol removes the ‘waste’ tag from certain materials, thus reducing the regulatory costs associated with waste legislation and the significant costs of disposal. Secondly, the Quality Protocol guarantee helps secure markets for valuable recycled materials. Finally, these Protocols will help to drive greater efficiency in the recovering Northern Ireland economy with the diversion of valuable resources away from landfill and towards the production of valuable and useful products.

Minister for the Environment, Edwin Poots MLA, said: “This is a positive step for our environment and economy. We need modern and effective regulation which supports and acknowledges good practice and efficiency, providing new opportunities for Northern Ireland companies. I welcome these new guidelines and their demonstration of the value of the regulator and industry working in partnership. Managing waste in this modern, simple and effective way is essential to bolster economic growth and sustainability, whilst also protecting the environment in a way that businesses and the public understand, respect and trust.”

Dr Ian Garner, WRAP’s Northern Ireland Manager said: “Quality Protocols offer significant environmental and economic benefits. QP compliance reduces the burden of waste for business, while opening up new revenue streams. We are delighted that NIEA and the Environment Minister have instigated the use of these QPs in Northern Ireland, and certain that the economy and environment will benefit as a result.”

Over a ten year period, it is estimated that the first 12 Protocols in place in the UK will deliver cost savings to business in the order of £700million, increased sales to business by £330million, 14 million tonnes of savings in virgin raw materials, as well as save two million tonnes of carbon.

Three further Quality Protocols will be published later in the year: biodiesel; tyre crumb; and gypsum from waste plasterboard.

Notes to editors:

1. Quality Protocols are part of the Waste Protocols Project, a joint Environment Agency and WRAP initiative funded by Defra, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and NIEA. and available on the Environment Agency website
2. An individual bespoke analysis has been carried out for each material using a methodology consistent with The Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and HM Treasury guidelines. The assumptions have been informed and verified by industry representatives, waste industry experts and economists. Each has been scrutinised under a twelve week public consultation and third party review, with comments and observations subsequently incorporated into the analysis. The results reflect a 10 year period from the launch of the QP. Different QPs are launched at different times.
3. Quality Protocols Project; Winner of the Better Regulation Award at the National Business Awards 2009.
4. Rigorous Financial Impact Assessments are conducted for every Quality Protocol using strict BIS and HM Treasury guidelines. Detailed Risk Assessments are also carried out on all materials. Costs savings and increased revenue are in 2007 prices and have been discounted using a 3.5% discount rate.
5. Source segregated biodegradable waste includes: garden waste and kitchen waste, wastes from agriculture and food production, waste paper, cardboard and paper sludges, sludges from treatment facilities and more.
6. The Department of the Environment’s waste prevention website Rethink Waste contains carefully tailored information for the business, community and voluntary sectors. It aims to raise awareness of how individuals and businesses can take simple steps to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover waste in order to send less of it to landfill.
7. All media enquiries should be directed to the Department of Environment’s Press Office on 028905 40003. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.