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WasteThe DOE is responsible for the drafting of legislation on waste, the implementation of waste management policy and the promotion of a more sustainable approach to dealing with waste in Northern Ireland. The Waste Unit within Planning and Environmental Policy Group works with various bodies in particular with our colleagues in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to develop and implement a wide range of government policies in Northern Ireland. Some of the topics covered include Hazardous Waste, Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment and Producer Responsibility. For information on these and other topics go to the further information list on this page. You can also access information on the NIEA Waste homepage CONSULTATION ON DRAFT GUIDANCE ON THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF WASTE AND ITS APPLICATION The aim of the draft guidance is to help businesses and other organisations take the right decisions about the classification of substances as waste, particularly in the more difficult cases. The draft guidance on which views are invited is set out in Chapter Three of the consultation document and is in three parts:- Part 1 is a practical guide for businesses and other organisations; Part 2 explains the background to and the rationale for the draft guidance; and Part 3 provides detailed guidance on the case law on the definition of waste and is intended for those with a specialist interest in the issue. The draft guidance has been prepared by Defra in conjunction with the Welsh Assembly Government, the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland, the Environment Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Responses should be received by Monday 12 April 2010. Consultation Documents Letter to Consultees (79KB) List of Consultees (85KB) Consultation on the legal definition of waste and its application (1.97MB) The letter and consultation paper contain details of how responses can be submitted. These documents are also available on the websites of the Welsh Assembly Government, the Department of Environment Northern Ireland, the Environment Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Strategic Waste Board The new Waste Management Strategy for Northern Ireland entitled “Towards Resource Management”, published in March 2006, sets out the Department of the Environment’s (DOE) plans to modernise waste management policies and practices to take account of new EU Directives and recent advances in waste management technology, and emphasises Government’s commitment to playing a lead role in driving forward strategy actions and targets and monitoring its implementation. As a demonstration of this commitment, the Department has established a new Ministerially-chaired advisory committee, the Strategic Waste Board (the Board), to oversee the strategy delivery programme and to monitor and measure progress across all six strands of the Strategy. The Board brings central and local government together in partnership and also provides a forum for the discussion of key waste policy issues. The Board is chaired by the Minister for the Environment and comprises senior representatives from all the key statutory organisations, from both central and local government, with a role to play in delivering Strategy commitments, including representation from the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) and the Strategic Investment Board. The Inaugural meeting of the Strategic Waste Board was held on Tuesday 20th February 2007. Click here to view the “Towards Resource Management” the Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy (2.06MB) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 20th February 2007 (21KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 28 June 2007 (24KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 24th October 2007 (23KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 5th December 2007 (19KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 13th February 2008 (28KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 29th August 2008 (132KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 19th December 2008 (28kb) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 13th March 2009 (36kb) Click here to view the minutes of the Strategic Waste Board 5th June 2009 (28kb) The Waste Programme Steering Group The Waste Programme Steering Group (WPSG) was established to oversee the delivery of agreed strategic objectives identified in the Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy 2006 – 2020. The Steering Group is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of the Environment with members drawn from both central and local government sectors. The Steering Group meets on a quarterly basis with its first meeting occurring on the 1st October 2008. The main functions of the WPSG are to resolve major problems relating to delivery of the waste management programme and to manage the conflicting demands within each of the six strands of the Strategy. The group also scrutinises programme activities, monitors progress against strand plans and provides regular reports on the overall direction of the programme to the Strategic Waste Board. Click here to view the minutes of the Waste programme Steering Group 1st October 2008 (40KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Waste programme Steering Group 24th November 2008 (36KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Waste programme Steering Group 20th February 2009 (48KB) Click here to view the minutes of the Waste programme Steering Group 15th May 2009 (52KB) The Waste Management Strategy Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 - S.R.2009 No.178 The Department has made the above Regulations which come into operation on 1 July 2009 . The Statutory Rule transposes the public participation rights contained in Article 2 of Directive 2003/35/EC (the “Public Participation Directive”, (PPD)). The Rule applies the rights in Article 2 to the preparation and modification or review of certain waste related plans and programmes required to be drawn up under Annex 1 of the PPD – in particular Northern Ireland’s waste management strategy. The Statutory Rule also includes provisions to satisfy requirements of the Waste Framework, Packaging Waste and Hazardous Waste Directives. The Statutory Rule ensures that: •the public is given early and effective opportunities to participate in the preparation and modification of Northern Ireland’s waste management strategy; •the public is informed about any proposals for such plans and programmes or their modification or review, about their right to participate in the decision making process and about the competent authority (Department of the Environment) to which comments or questions may be submitted, •the public is entitled to express comments and opinions before decisions are made; •in making those decisions, due account is taken of the results of the public participation; •having examined the comments and opinions expressed by the public the Department informs the public about the decisions taken and the reasons and considerations upon which those decisions are based. The Regulations can be accessed via: |
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