To ask the Minister for Communities whether his Department is implementing any measures to reduce general waste in buildings used by his Department or its arm's-length bodies.

Staff within the buildings occupied by my Department are encouraged to separate waste streams so appropriate recycling can take place. Premises Officers within these buildings monitor the situation in compliance with all statutory and non-statutory obligations. Staff are encouraged, via regular internal communications and information sessions, to consider how they can contribute to the Department’s climate and sustainability goals, for example by reducing reliance on single use plastics.

Some of the measures implemented by the Arm’s Length Bodies, for which my Department is the sponsor body, include:

promoting the principles of reduce, reuse, recycle and recover;

moving to online systems thus eliminating hard-copy printing and disposal;

setting targets for positive climate action change; and

converting waste into Refuse Dry Fuel that is then used for creating electricity.