Waste management in a best-value framework: the Northern Ireland experience

Waste management in Northern Ireland has generally lagged behind Great Britain and mainland Europe for many years. This is set to change since the issue of a new Waste Management Strategy for Northern Ireland in March of this year. John Quinn, Director of Environmental Services with Antrim Borough Council and Chairman of the Eastern Region Waste Management Group of eleven Northern Ireland district councils, explains how local government in the Province has risen to the twin challenges of best value and sustainable waste management, with a view to complying with the Strategy objectives and to developing an integrated waste management infrastructure fitting for the twenty-first century.