Councils' £1bn recycling project

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7831329.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Eleven local councils have announced a £1bn project to recycle more of our waste.

Councils face massive European fines if they do not meet stringent recycling targets in the future.

Plans put forward by the group of councils, known as ARC 21, include an energy from waste plant.

The plant would incinerate rubbish that can not be recycled and would otherwise end up in landfill. Such plants are common across the rest of Europe.

It is claimed that domestic waste collected by councils in the Greater Belfast area and Antrim could generate enough electricity for up to 40,000 houses.

If the scheme gets the go ahead, the plant could be in operation by 2014.

Two mechanical and biological treatment plants to recycle more of our waste are also planned.

It is estimated that to build and run the plants would cost around £1bn over the next 30 to 40 years.