The findings come in a detailed waste characterisations study to be published by the environmental organisation NI2000 at the end of January.
Produced by consultants Kirk McLure Morton, the work found that there was also a high amount of ash in domestic waste although this is reducing because of the increasing use of oil and natural gas for heating. And, as a consequence it is also expected that more newspapers and mixed paper will become available for recycling as less is used in fires.
Robert Freeman, recycling development officer with NI2000, said that the study is seen as providing important baseline data to help the Northern Ireland government and three local council areaas who have all produced waste strategies to measure progress in recycling and waste minimisation.
Details of the study will be released on January 31 when the Ministers of the Environment for both Northern and the Republic of Ireland meet in Belfast to launch the first All Ireland Recycling Directory.
Noel Dempsey from the Republic of Ireland will join his counterpart Sam Foster at the Ecos Centre, following the successful completion of the innovative environmental cross-border project.
NI2000 teamed up with the Tipperary Rural Business Development Institute to create the directory, which the two groups say will prove a “valuable resource which will help to reduce the volume of ‘waste’ going to landfill throughout Ireland.”
The directory will be supported soon by a new website www.irelandrecycling.ie. NI2000 can be contacted at tel: 028 9040 3779, fax: 028 9040 3780.
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