Minister congratulates skip hire company on Having Waste to landfill commitment

Environment Minister Edwin Poots today congratulated McKinstry Skip Hire Ltd in signing up to the “Halving Waste to Landfill” initiative.

The Minister visited the waste management company which is based in Nutts Corner, where he had an opportunity to tour the recycling facility and witness them signing the “Halving Waste to Landfill” commitment.

By supporting this commitment and delivering against it the company is pledging to play their part in halving the amount of construction, demolition and excavation waste going to landfill by 2012. This gives an organisation the opportunity to improve performance, reduce carbon footprint and show itself to be a leader in the sustainability arena.

Mr Poots said: “I welcome the opportunity to witness the signing of this commitment. This sends a very clear message that McKinstry Skip Hire Ltd is a company that takes reducing waste seriously.

“It is to be commended that 10 years ago this company was sending approximately 90% of their waste to landfill and they are now recycling approximately 85% of all materials received in their yard. By signing this commitment today they have pledged to increase their recycling further to 95% in 2012.”

In 2008 McKinstry Skip Hire Ltd completed the building of a modern recycling facility that specialises in the collection of dry waste materials such as cardboard, paper, scrap metal, plastic and wood. This means that instead of burying it in the ground, this recycled waste can be turned into useful commodities.

The Minister continued: “McKinstry Skip Hire Ltd has seen the value in what others perceive as worthless “rubbish” and can now turn these materials into valuable resources. This is good for the local economy and for the environment and will help meet EU targets and avoid costly fines.

“McKinstry Skip Hire Ltd is the fifth and one of the largest waste management companies to sign up to this commitment and I would urge other companies to follow suit and halve the waste they send to landfill.”

Notes to editors:

1. Data from the Annual Business Inquiry indicates that in 2007 (the most recent available data), the recycling sector accounted for around 1000 jobs with a turnover of £180m.
2. “Halving Waste to landfill” is a Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) initiative. For more information visit the Wrap website
3. McKinstry Skip Hire Ltd is a family-run business founded in 1979 that currently employs 60 people at their head office in Nutts Corner. Since its establishment the company has expanded its operation to include the management of a fleet of transport vehicles and heavy plant as well as site clearance and earth moving operations throughout Northern Ireland.
4. Minister Poots recently launched the multi-million pound Rethink Waste Fund to develop recycling infrastructure. This will provide funding to councils for initiatives which will boost recycling and re-use.
5. The Department of the Environment's Rethink Waste campaign aims to raise awareness, encourage best practice and achieve behavioural change among households, the business, community and education sectors. The campaign seeks to affect a cultural shift towards better waste prevention and resource management and improved environmental quality in Northern Ireland. For more information visit the Rethink Waste website
6. All media enquires should be directed to the Department of the Environment Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours, please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.