Part 1Waste

Chapter 1Waste sent to landfills

Strategies for reducing landfilling of biodegradable waste

I120F1Plan for Northern Ireland

1

The Department of the Environment must have a F2plan for reducing—

a

the amount of biodegradable waste from Northern Ireland that goes to landfills, and

b

the amount of biodegradable waste from outside Northern Ireland that goes to landfills in Northern Ireland.

2

The F3plan required by subsection (1) must (in particular) include measures to achieve the targets specified for Northern Ireland under sections 1 and 2.

3

The measures mentioned in subsection (2) include (in particular) measures to achieve the targets by means of recycling, composting, biogas production, materials recovery or energy recovery.

4

Before formulating policy for the purposes of subsection (1), the Department must—

a

consult the Secretary of State, the Scottish Ministers and the National Assembly for Wales,

b

consult such bodies or persons appearing to it to be representative of the interests of local government as it considers appropriate,

c

consult such bodies or persons appearing to it to be representative of the interests of industry as it considers appropriate, and

d

carry out such public consultation as it considers appropriate.

5

The Department must set out in a statement any policy formulated for the purposes of subsection (1).

6

The Department must, as soon as a statement is prepared for the purposes of subsection (5), send a copy of it to—

a

the Secretary of State,

b

the Scottish Ministers, and

c

the National Assembly for Wales.

7

Where subsection (1) is satisfied by policies set out in a statement prepared before the coming into force of that subsection, it does not matter that the policies were not formulated for the purposes of that subsection.

8

Subsection (4) may be satisfied by consultation before, as well as by consultation after, the coming into force of this section.