DAERA Northern Ireland Resources and Waste Management Strategy
EAUC has responded to Northern Ireland's nsultation on the draft Resources and Waste Management Strategy, highlighting the important role that further and higher education can play in supporting the transition to a circular economy. Our response welcomes the strategy’s ambition to improve recycling, reduce landfill, and strengthen resource efficiency, while also calling for a greater focus on waste prevention, circular design, and upstream interventions that reduce waste before it is created.
Drawing on feedback from members across the tertiary education sector, the response emphasises the unique contribution that colleges and universities can make as large organisations, educators, employers, researchers, and anchor institutions within their communities. We highlight the need for stronger investment in repair and reuse infrastructure, clearer guidance and reporting frameworks for complex institutions, and greater recognition of the role of skills, training, and research in enabling long-term systems change.
The response also stresses the importance of embedding circular economy principles more consistently throughout the strategy, including through procurement, construction, behaviour change, and partnerships with producers and designers. EAUC looks forward to continuing to support members and policymakers in advancing sustainable resource management and circular economy approaches across Northern Ireland.
| 8 May 2026 | |
| Resource | |
| Waste Management Strategy response.pdf | |
| EAUC |
