Northern Ireland’s Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has today (11 September) urged local communities and organisations to apply for carrier bag levy funding through the Challenge Fund 2015.
In April 2013, a five-pence levy on single-use carrier bags came into effect in Northern Ireland as part a drive to reduce plastic waste and cut the use of plastic carrier bags by 80 per cent. The charge also applies to bags made from paper, plant-based material, or natural starch, on the grounds that alternatives to plastic bags also have environmental impacts.
According to the first set of official Carrier Bag Levy statistics for Northern Ireland, between 8 April 2013 and 31 March 2014, the charge raised £4.17 million of net proceeds and saw carrier bag use drop by 71.8 per cent.
More than half of the levy proceeds, £2.3 million, was earmarked for the Challenge Fund, which seeks to ‘deliver community environmental projects to support wellbeing and prosperity’. One million pounds was allocated to the Challenge Fund 2014, which supported 250 environmental projects, and the remaining £1.3 million is now up for application under the Challenge Fund 2015. A further £1.1 million of levy proceeds has been allocated to the Natural Heritage Grant, Sustainability Innovation Fund and Local Clean-up Support.
Calling for people to apply for the funding, Durkan said: “The fantastic response from shoppers and retailers to the carrier bag levy has led to a massive 72 per cent decrease in ‘single-use’ carrier bags, and I am determined that the monies raised through the levy goes back to the community.
“The community pays the levy and I am ensuring that the community gets the benefit of it. I see this as the ‘People’s Fund’.
“Get inspired, be it developing community gardens, removing invasive species, or restoring local habitats or community renewable energy schemes, to name but a few. I would urge groups across the north to continue to undertake projects that benefit their local environment and communities.”
Applications for assistance from this year’s fund close at midday on Friday, 3 October. Successful projects will be announced in ‘late October/early November’ 2014.
Applications must be submitted by email.
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