To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline any actions his Department is taking to increase recycling in Northern Ireland.

It is clear from annual figures that the recycling rate has stagnated, with minimal change in recent years, indicating that further action is needed if we are to meet our legislative targets.

While our local councils and the general public are to be commended for their efforts in driving up recycling rates from a low base at the start of this century, demonstrating the effectiveness of previous interventions, more needs to be done.

However, my ambition is not just to increase the rate of recycling.

“Rethinking Our Resources” is a collection of workstreams developed by my department that will set out the necessary reforms needed to drive better resource and waste management practices that aim to contribute to Northern Ireland’s Net Zero ambition, improve the environment and build a better, more circular economy.

At the centre of this work is The Resources and Waste Management Strategy, which I launched for consultation on 15th January. I would encourage everyone to respond to ensure their views are captured

The new waste management strategy will set the policy direction at a strategic level for the future management of resources and waste, through a range of actions and targets over the next 6 years.

The goal of the strategy is to futureproof resources and waste management in NI whilst helping to embed the Circular Economy and achieve our climate goals.

The other strand of this work (“Rethinking Our Resources”) is Waste and Recycling Reforms in Northern Ireland, which my department consulted on in 2024. That work focused on measures to improve recycling and waste collections across both households and businesses.

Responses helped inform our draft Departmental Response, which contains recommendations aimed at driving down the volume of residual waste and improving both the quality and quantity of material being collected for recycling, to support local reprocessing.

I have also heard from councils, first hand, that there is a clear desire for the Departmental Response to be published to provide clarity on future direction and help inform investment decisions.

I am currently seeking approval from my Executive colleagues for publication of the Departmental Response.

My department also continues to provide funding opportunities through the Household Waste Recycling Collaborative Change Programme (HWRCCP), with over £8.2m already provided to Councils in NI to improve recycling infrastructure and services.