| Europe generates 1.3 billion tonnes of waste annually. |
In this, the second of a four part series on the environment, Children's Express reporters investigate managing waste in Northern Ireland.
Since 1950 we have consumed as much as all the generations before us combined. Plastics thrown into the ocean kill as many as one million sea creatures every year. Locally, we have one of the worst recycling rates in Europe and the western world. So what are we doing wrong and how can we improve?
Europe in total generates 1.3 billion tonnes of waste annually. EU directives designed to significantly reduce our dependence on landfill as the main method of disposing of waste, have set challenging targets for all NI councils. Landfills are where tonnes of rubbish are put in a hole in the ground and then covered over with topsoil.
By next year Belfast City Council wants to recover, through recycling and composting, 25% of waste rising to 40% by 2010. Other local councils are working to the same targets but some are doing better than others.
John Barry of the Green Party in Northern Ireland said: "Landfills cause a variety of environmental problems. The first is the smell, the noise from the various birds and rodents that they attract, and then there's also the problem of leeching toxins into the local water supply."
While recognising that central and local government are trying to improve recycling rates with the whole Reduce, Reuse, Recycle campaign, the Green Party still fears government are not doing enough. "Let's look at up-stream as it where, not just at when something is discarded in a bin. But let's say, 'Where did that thing come from?' And let's look at ways of minimising the production of excess packaging which causes waste."
The Green Party are also concerned that the UK will fail to meet the European directive standards leading to them seeking another solution for the disposal of waste.
"We're increasing the amount of waste that we're producing, and as a result of this, it means that we're now starting to ship waste across to places like Scotland. Indeed, if you look at the waste management plans of the various borough Councils in Northern Ireland, what we're going to see is the introduction of incinerators as a way of dealing with our increasing waste problem."
Managing waste is not just a government issue but is also the responsibility of every individual as a consumer. On a personal level you can start to make a difference.
The next time you go shopping choose glass bottles and cans for drinks rather than plastic bottles that are harder to recycle. Avoid pre-wrapped foodstuffs as far as possible.
Recycle all paper wrappings and not just newspapers. Use your own carrier bags rather than the plastic bags supplied by the supermarket.
Don't wait for your council to supply you with the recycling bins, start now and take your materials to recycling centres. And what about your school, are you doing enough within the school to recycle waste?
About the team
This story was produced by Chris Lowry 17, Andrew Mullan 15, Christopher Neilands 14. It was published by the Belfast Telegraph.
