- Poor enforcement of Policy and Legislation
- Low priority given to the environment by Government and/or lack of resources
- Inadequate deterrents for those who break Environmental Legislation
The existing safeguards have failed and it is essential that we have an Independent Environmental Protection Agency to safeguard and improve our environment.
I take an active role in the Council’s Environmental and Amenities Committee. Also as a member of the Waste Management Committee I am one of two Council representatives on Arc 21. This is a special group involving eleven Councils in the east of the Province who work together to deliver Northern Ireland’s Waste Management Strategy. This strategy has been developed to meet the European Union’s Framework Directive which dictates how all waste must be reduced, recycled or disposed of.
The Council has also appointed me to be its representative on the Northern Ireland Amenities Council which promotes the improvement of the environment of towns, cities and villages.
We need to secure and protect more public open space for light recreational purposes and provide natural habitats for wildlife.
A unique opportunity exists to develop a wetlands park between the Green and Balloo Roads. I am involved with the North Down Business Village Company which is seeking to deliver this project.
There is also an opportunity to secure a major new park land for residents and visitors and will prove to be a significant legacy for future generations to enjoy.
Environmental Health
North Down Borough Council is responsible for the following areas that make up environmental health.
- Food and Infectious Disease Control
- Health and Safety at Work
- Consumer Protection
- Licensing/Dog Warden Service
- Public Health
- Pollution Control
The Environmental Health Department is also involved in health promotion activities within the Borough.
Clean Air
The quality of the air we breathe is important to all of us. Improving air quality as well as meeting National and European Air Quality Standards are key targets for Government and District Councils.
Air quality is monitored at several sites in North Down to measure sulphur dioxide nitrogen dioxide and smoke levels. Also the Department of the Environment produces an annual report.
We must continue to be vigilant and monitor pollution levels regularly to ensure a healthy environment.
Water and Sewerage
Northern Ireland has suffered from chronic under-investment in its infrastructure particularly with water and sewerage.
The Government is now, because of pressure from Europe, taking the necessary action to improve the infrastructure and bring it up to required standards.
The Governments proposals mean that householders in North Down would have to pay in the region of an additional £200 when the charges are fully phased in.
Their system of assessing the charge would be based upon the value of the property and not the actual consumption of water.
Although property values in North Down are high it is not the sole indicator of wealth and there are many elderly people and others on fixed income, which would mean hardship for them in paying the charges.
I believe that the Governments proposals are not acceptable and people should not have to pay again for this lack of infrastructure investment. It would seem that the Government is arranging a halfway house prior to the privatisation of the Water Service.
Before people are asked to pay more for water and sewerage it is essential that the necessary services be brought up to acceptable standards.
I have and will continue to negotiate with the Water Reform Unit to press for an acceptable package for the improvement of these services at a fair cost to users.
Waste Management
I take a keen interest in this subject and am involved in important working committees that deal with waste management.
Apart from environmental issues the management of waste is significantly expensive and will soon be the highest cost to councils.
As one of North Down’s two representatives, I serve on the Arc 21 Group, which manages waste for eleven Councils in the east of the province. We have developed a waste management strategy and are working together to implement it for the benefit of the ratepayers in our areas.
Bin Collection
Up until recently all we had to do was place all of our waste in the grey bin and that was the end of it as it went to a landfill site. As part of the European Union’s Policy on Waste Management there are now massive costs on using landfill sites that are intended to act as a deterrent to using this method of waste disposal.
We now have to recycle as much as possible to reduce our costs and to benefit the environment.
I have been on study tours in Europe on behalf of the Arc 21 Group and have discovered how they solve their problems. Many of these solutions can be used in Northern Ireland and will reduce the cost to North Down ratepayers.
We now have three types of bin collection: -
- Blue, for material that can be recycled
- Grey, for materials which can’t be recycled at this time
- Green for waste
Recycling
We have embarked on a considerable programme for recycling of materials and have entered into contracts with third parties so that these materials may be reprocessed. By recycling we can reduce our costs and avoid punitive charges.
Some materials have a ready market and therefore can produce revenue to offset council costs in the collection and distribution of waste. Other materials do not have a ready market demand therefore the Council has to pay for them to be removed. Glass is a current example.
In the future we are expected to reduce the amount of waste, which we produce, recycle wherever possible and attempt to eliminate the remainder of waste, which goes to landfill.
Amenities Site
The local Council developed a new amenities site on the Rathgael Road some twenty years ago. At the time it was one of the most modern in Northern Ireland being complete with a compactor station and jumbo waste containers.
It also has a very convenient “bring centre” so that residents can dispose of their waste directly into skips at a convenient height. This centre also enables the segregation of waste so that part of it can be recycled.
North Down Borough Council now has plans to develop a new “state of the art” amenities site at Balloo that will adequately treat our waste for the foreseeable future. This will include a new “bring centre” to make it even easier for residents to dispose of their waste.
