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

The Department and its predecessors have been promoting waste management with communications to staff on green housekeeping and appropriate use of recycling facilities, and initiatives including removal of bins for individuals, provision of recycling bins in central areas, the Single Use Plastics Reduction Programme, promotion of less printing and photocopying, removal of individual desk printers, and double-sided photocopying.

Waste is managed by means of two official NICS Collaborative Framework contracts, i.e. Provision of Dry Recycling Services, and Provision of Non-Hazardous Waste Management Services, for the Northern Ireland Public Sector.

The Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies manage and have responsibility for their own buildings and estates including waste management policies and the two official NICS contracts are available for them to use.