Angela Smith, the Minister of the Environment, launched the new Community Waste Innovation Fund today. This will fund sustainable waste management projects in the community and voluntary sector and replaces the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme (LTCS) and the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme Interim Replacement Fund.

Angela Smith said: The voluntary sector makes an invaluable contribution in the fight against waste in Northern Ireland. I am pleased to announce this significant new scheme which will provide 1million in support to the voluntary sector for the next 3 years in the delivery of innovative waste minimisation and diversion projects.

The overall objective of the Fund is to build upon the most successful elements of the LTCS, while strengthening the direct contribution of community and voluntary sector projects in achieving the targets within the Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy.

The overall strategic objective is still to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Projects which promote waste minimisation and resource efficiency or find innovative alternative uses for waste will help meet this objective.

Projects will be assessed according to how they best contribute to the implementation of the Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy and Waste Management Plans. The degree of innovation, coverage across Northern Ireland, potential influence on waste management practices, sustainability and targeting of social need will also be considered as major factors in the assessment process.

The maximum grant available under the scheme is 150,000 per year.

• Download the application form here
• Download the explanatory notes here

Closing date for applications is Thursday 31 March 2005.

1. Landfill tax was introduced on 1 October 1996 to encourage a shift to more environmentally sustainable methods of waste management. The tax is levied on licensed landfill site operators according to the weight of waste deposited at the site.
2. The same legislation brought the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme (LTCS) into being. It encouraged and enabled landfill operators to give money to certain organisations to carry out environmental projects. Through the scheme they were able to donate up to 20% of their landfill tax liability to these environmental bodies and claim a tax credit worth 90% of their contribution.
3. Under reforms announced by HM Treasury, category C/CC projects (research and development, educational activity or communication that encourages more sustainable waste management, the development of products from, and markets for, recycled waste.) were no longer available for funding under the scheme from 1 April 2003. The funding which would have been provided for projects under these categories was instead made available to Central Government. This scheme was called the Interim Replacement Fund.
4. The Interim Replacement Fund was only intended to run for one year. The Community Waste Innovation Fund which will provide assistance of 1million annually,will run for three years.
5. For further news media information contact DOE Press Office tel. 02890540003.