Northern Ireland’s Environment Minister, Mark H Durkan, has announced that £1 million of funds raised from the Carrier Bag Levy is to be used to ‘transform environmental projects’.

The five-pence levy on single-use carrier bags came into effect on 8 April this year, as part a drive to reduce plastic waste and cut the use of plastic carrier bags by 80 per cent (however, 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).

Money raised from the tax is forwarded to the Department of the Environment (DOE NI) each quarter with the aim of generating “a significant amount of money to help community and voluntary organisations, businesses, schools and charities improve the environment’.

A DOE spokesman told Resource that although the department is ‘continuing to gather the proceeds’ from the levy, total receipts to date are ‘in excess of £1 million’.

From next April, the carrier bag levy will be extended to ‘low-cost reusable carrier bags’ to prevent them from being used as ‘throw-away’ bags.

Challenge Fund launched

Speaking yesterday (16 October) at the Skainos Centre, in Belfast, Durkan announced that £1 million of carrier bag levy money has now been allocated to the Challenge Fund scheme for environmental projects.

Running as a pilot scheme for the last two years, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s (NIEA) Challenge Fund provides finances for ‘communities and organisations to develop a number of new and inspiring local environmental projects across Northern Ireland’.

Projects supported by the 2013 Challenge Fund included: The Argory Restoration Project, which removed rhododendron plants to secure the ‘long-term biosecurity of woodland’; Bringing Learning to Life, which developed unused land into a ‘woodland classroom’; and the Share Discovery Centre in Country Fermanagh, which implemented a rainwater harvesting initiative.

Due to its ‘success’, Durkan said that the scheme, administered by Environment Link (NIEL), will now receive £1 million of core funding for 2014.

Delivering ‘much needed projects on a small budget’

Durkan said: “Last year’s Challenge Fund was a very successful programme. The innovative ideas of the 56 environmental projects which received a share of the £360,000 funding produced remarkable results for the environment. The best way to celebrate success is to build on it and for that reason I have allocated a significant portion of the proceeds from the Carrier Bag Levy to deliver a much enhanced, bigger and wider reaching Challenge Fund than last year.

“This fund is about challenging and inspiring local communities to look at what they can do differently to improve the environment. It’s about encouraging and supporting energetic partnerships between local businesses, schools, youth groups and residents – those who want to transform and shape their local environment for the better. I would urge groups across the north to come up with projects and apply to this increased Challenge Fund."

The Forest Service has also set allocated £200,000 of funding (from the £4 million Forestry Fund secured under the Executive’s Economy & Jobs Initiative) to the scheme for ‘for forest-based partner/community-led projects’.

Professor Sue Christie, Chief Executive of NIEL, added: “The substantial increase in programme funds for this year’s Challenge Fund is excellent news. The £1,200,000 of funding from the NIEA and the Forest Service will ensure that more practical initiatives will make real environmental impact differences throughout Northern Ireland’s rural and urban communities.

“Last year’s funding delivered important work in the areas of built heritage, environmental education, public access and many others. This success demonstrates the ability of the non-governmental organisation sector to deliver much needed projects on a small budget, to a tight timescale and with strong environmental outcomes.”

The £1 million is available for NIEA projects that will complete their work by 31 March 2014. The £200,000 is available for NI Forest Service projects that will complete their work by the ‘end of March 2015’.

DOE NI has said that an ‘independent’ panel of judges will assess all applications submitted by the closing date of 15 November 2013 and that all successful applicants will be notified ‘before Christmas’.

Those wishing to apply for finances under the Challenge Fund can do so online.