Northern Ireland Environment Minister Alex Attwood welcomed findings published by the All Island Bulky Waste Reuse Best Practice Management Feasibility Study, which found an approximate 48 million (60 million) in reusable bulky waste sales could be realised through an all island approach to management.
The target bulky items (municipal waste too large to fit in regular waste collection bins) under examination in the report include furniture, large EEE such as fridges, textiles, and bicycles.
The objective of the study was to improve sales of reused items, review the possibility of developing covered, branded drop off points at civic amenity or recycling centre sites for bulky waste, and to involve reuse organisations in the regular servicing of such points.
Collection
An assessment suggested that an estimated 32% of the total bulky waste collected at these sites could be reused, equating to 30,000 tonnes across the whole of Ireland.
The report was published by Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, and Mr Attwood, who yesterday (July 2) praised the reports findings.
This report is a good example of how we collaborate on this island to maximise the potential for shared, common or agreed approaches to waste”
Alex Attwood, Northern Ireland Environment
Mr Attwood said: I welcome this report which shows that there is real potential for the development of the reuse sector across the island of Ireland.
This report is a good example of how we collaborate on this island to maximise the potential for shared, common or agreed approaches to waste.
I believe that Minister Hogan and I can identify positive measures and interventions to assist the waste industry in increasing reuse North and South.
Benefits
The report also argues the benefits associated with reuse have a wider economic, environmental and social influence than simply diverting a bulky item from landfill.
It recited reduced carbon emissions, avoided tax and collection cost and higher employment ratio per tonne of material reused.
The report concluded: Information gathered from; the literature review, surveys of the CA/RC and reuse sectors, stakeholder engagement meetings, quantity estimations, legislative review and the demonstration study and case studies support an all-island reuse initiative.
There are some challenges and support will be required but the overall finding is positive.
In the UK, WasteDataFlow estimated some 1,590,000 tonnes of bulky waste was collected at the kerbside or taken to Household Waste Recycling Centres in 2010/11.
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