The North West Region Waste Management Group (NWRWMG) represents a voluntary grouping of the following seven district councils:

Ballymoney Borough Council
Coleraine Borough Council
Derry City Council
Limavady Borough Council
Magherafelt District Council
Moyle District Council
Strabane District Council

Progress
Waste management remains a priority for the Councils of the region. The waste management group has sought, within the confines of the plan to provide solutions on a regional basis that ensure consistency of service and cost to all member councils while conscious of the legislative framework which is continually evolving to impose increasingly exacting standards on the management and disposal of waste.

At the beginning of 2006, the seven local authorities commenced consideration of the revised options for dealing with municipal waste for 2006 - 2020. These options were prepared on behalf of the North West Region Waste Management Group by consultants RPS, after extensive research and studies identified a series of waste management options designed to ensure EU targets are achieved and that large fines from Europe are avoided. The plan was predicated on the NIBPEO published by the DOE and this was used to ensure compliance and to present a robust plan for the region.

The technical analysis for the plan predicts that by 2020 over 300,000 tonnes of waste will be produced annually in the North West and it outlines the options that are available to prevent and dispose of this waste. Members of each Council agreed to consult on these options which include waste prevention, increased recycling and composting, Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) and Energy from waste.

The draft modifications were released for public consultation and comment and the Plan was subsequently revised and sent to the Department for further consideration and determination. 

Donegal County Council also reviewed its waste management plan and the Group looked at identifying areas of co-operation, legislation permitting.

All Group activity is predicated on the basis that all eight-member councils may participate as appropriate. Donegal County Council has made significant advances in the deployment of GIS technology to assist in the waste planning process and the transfer of this knowledge has been advantageous to the Northern Councils in preparing for the assessment of regional tenders.

Legislation pertaining to the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste dictates areas and levels of co-operation, however the members continue to share best practice on recycling and the provision of improvements in civic amenity and recycling centre and education and awareness.

The North West Regional Waste Management Group has recently formed a Joint committee of Councils to undertake the procurement of appropriate Waste Management infrastructure to meet the objectives set out in the Waste Management Plan.

For further information on waste management within the North West Region, go to www.northwestwasteplan.org.uk