Member's statement: Global Recycling Day

Member's statement by Mr John Blair on 16 March 2026.

MLA

Mr John Blair

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

16 March 2026

Type

Member's statement

Business

Members' Statements

Heading

Global Recycling Day

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5448348

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I rise to mark Global Recycling Day, which is celebrated each year on 18 March. The Global Recycling Foundation established the day in 2018 to recognise recycling as the seventh resource, alongside water, oil, natural gas, coal, minerals and air. Since then, Global Recycling Day has grown into an international call to action, reminding Governments, businesses and individuals that what we once saw as waste is, in fact, a vital resource in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation. It will come as no surprise to Members when I say that recycling is key to cutting emissions, conserving resources and reducing pollution. By reusing materials rather than extracting new ones, we reduce the pressure on our land, water and air. At a time of global instability and rising costs, a strong recycling system also supports green jobs and a more resilient circular economy. The Alliance Party has consistently led the way on waste and recycling policy at every level of government. In local government, Alliance councillors have driven improvements in kerbside recycling and food waste collection; championed better information for residents; pushed for investment in modern recycling infrastructure; and worked to ensure that reusing and recycling are championed over landfill and incineration. In the Executive, the Alliance Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has continued that leadership. He has introduced measures to increase household and business recycling rates, supported the planned introduction of the extended producer responsibility scheme and backed steps towards a deposit return scheme, to name but three actions. Those are practical, evidence-based actions that will help Northern Ireland move away from a throwaway culture and towards a genuinely sustainable system of resource management. Our recycling rates have improved markedly over the past decade, and, in some areas, they are comparable to those in other parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. We still, however, lag behind many of the best-performing regions in Europe, where recycling rates are substantially higher than ours. On Global Recycling Day 2026, we should be clear that recycling is not a niche environmental issue. Every person in Northern Ireland has a role to play in making sure that their waste is disposed of correctly and recognising that what we throw away is, in fact, a valuable resource. Alliance will continue to show leadership at every level of government to ensure that Northern Ireland moves decisively towards higher rates of recycling, less waste and a genuine circular economy.

406 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:08 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification