Northern Irish Economy Minister meets with Keep Recycling Local

The campaign group advocates for keeping material recycling streams separate to “help keep valuable materials within the local circular economy”.

Alongside, Encirc, Enva and Bryson Recycling, the campaign group has said that it aims to stop valuable glass, paper and other recyclable materials from being exported for incineration or landfill.

Murphy commented: “Today’s visit to Encirc provided the opportunity to experience first-hand how a local company is embracing circular economy principles on a daily basis using recycled glass to produce new products for sale both locally and internationally.

“My department is currently in the process of finalising a Circular Economy Strategy which I plan to bring to the Executive in the coming months. One of the proposals for change contained within the Strategy aims to maximise the value of materials locally.

“I recognise that the management of waste is a key factor and a driver towards transitioning to a more circular economy which aims to design out waste and keep products and materials in use for as long as possible at their highest value.”

KRL has said that each year the region exports over 91,000 tonnes of recyclable materials overseas for recycling.

It is advocating for three streams: paper and cardboard in one, plastics, cans, foils and cartons in the second, and glass as the final stream.

KRL spokesperson Nicola Carruthers said: “Keeping recycled materials in the local economy and diverting them from landfill and incineration is great for the environment. It also helps local businesses improve their sustainability credentials and compete on a global scale as illustrated by the recycled glass being used to make new bottles in a closed loop circular economy at Encirc.

“It’s important that policy makers and opinion formers see the value in keeping materials separate. Co-mingled recyclable materials are being shipped across the world at great cost, while local recycling companies are spending vast sums of money to import these very same materials because they are unable to source suitable quality material locally.

“We have an untapped resource that could help local businesses grow, create and sustain new jobs and help improve the environment. Multi-stream recycling means significantly greater reprocessing of glass and other recyclables which allows businesses to play a bigger part in the circular economy and continue to compete for business as customers continue to require more sustainable packaging to improve their own sustainability.

“Our approach is good for consumers, for households, for our economy and for the environment, it is a total no-brainer”.

KRL is supported by a range of organisations such as British Glass, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland, Friends of the Earth, Tetra-Pak, Ulster Wildlife, Zero Waste North West, Action for Cartons in the Environment, Alupro, Northern Ireland Polymers Association, and the Confederation of Paper Industries.