The Minister was commenting as he officially opened North Down Borough Council’s new state-of-the-art waste management centre at Balloo Industrial Estate in Bangor.
The site includes an environmental education centre to inform local schoolchildren and community groups on what they can do to limit rubbish and enhance their environment.
Mr Wilson said: “I have no doubt the educational centre will be of great benefit to local schools and the wider community in general.
“We should be encouraging community-based sustainable waste management as a practical and effective way of tackling the growing waste problem.”
The waste transfer station will be completely self-contained and will incorporate cutting-edge technology within it that will remove dust and smells to make it one of the cleanest air facilities in the UK. Both it and the household waste recycling centre, will also be powered entirely by renewable energy sources.
The Minister said: “I am very impressed with the innovative design and emphasis on environmentally friendly features."
However, while he acknowledged the progress that had been made in Northern Ireland in recent years in handling waste, he insisted more needed to be achieved.
He concluded: “There has been significant progress on waste and recycling in Northern Ireland in recent years but we must not be complacent. We need to continue to drive up performance for more sustainable waste management.”
Notes to Editors:
1. The £18million waste management facility consists of a waste transfer station and a household waste recycling and environmental education centre. In the education centre local schoolchildren and community groups can be educated on important environmental issues.
2. The station will be completely self-contained and incorporate cutting-edge technology within it that will remove dust and smells to make it one of the cleanest air facilities in the UK. What really sets both new facilities apart from anything being developed by other district councils is that both will be powered entirely by renewable energy sources.
3. The Department of the Environment part-funded this project under the Waste Management Grant Scheme.
4.For media enquiries please contact the DOE Press Office 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
