To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his Department's assessment of the effect that municipal waste incineration will have on his Department’s climate objectives.

Addressing Climate Change in Northern Ireland is a priority for my Department and I want to ensure that Northern Ireland plays its part in minimising greenhouse gas emissions.

I have commissioned resources in my Department to deliver on the commitment made by the Executive in the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ agreement regarding a Climate Change Act for Northern Ireland. I want to introduce this Bill and see it complete its legislative passage within the lifetime of the current Assembly mandate.

As previously advised (AQW 17135/17-22 refers) the Committee on Climate Change report on Reducing Emissions in Northern Ireland published in February 2019 highlighted that the emissions from waste are almost entirely (95%) methane, the main source of which was anaerobic decomposition of biodegradable waste in landfill sites (75%). Further analysis of the NI Greenhouse Gas Inventory indicates that waste incineration generates 0.017% of Northern Ireland’s annual carbon emissions.

Whilst energy recovery can be necessary in certain circumstances, my Department is committed to applying the waste hierarchy in accordance with Article 4 of the Waste Framework Directive. Where waste cannot be prevented, reuse should be encouraged. If reuse is not suitable or the item has reached the end of its useful life, recycling should be undertaken. Only once these options have been exhausted should energy recovery or landfill be considered.