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Northern Ireland Environment Minister Edwin
Poots has commended a furniture re-use project that is directly
helping the environment and the community.
Voluntary Service Lisburn (VSL)
collects and restores unwanted furniture, which it then sells
at its showrooms at Haslem’s Lane, Lisburn. It is estimated
that, potentially, an additional 30% of household bulky waste
that is currently deposited through council collections and
Household Waste Recycling Centres annually, could be reused.
Mr Poots said - "VSL is an excellent example of how we need
to rethink waste as a valuable resource - not something to
be buried in the ground.
"We have increasingly stringent targets to meet in order
to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill. Every one
of us has a vested interest in this, because, if we fail to
meet these targets, we will face heavy fines that will be
passed on to the ratepayer. Re-use projects like this are
directly helping to meet those targets."
During the tour of the VSL workshop, the Minister met with
employees - all of whom were previously long term unemployed
- and saw at first hand how the furniture is being restored.
Mr Poots continued - "VSL helps people throughout Northern
Ireland as well as the local community by supplying affordable,
good quality furniture that can be re-used. It also provides
valuable work experience and training and employment opportunities.
"I would urge everyone in the area with unwanted furniture
to support this worthwhile and smart initiative which is providing
tangible environmental, financial and social benefits to local
people."
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