Southern Waste Management Partnership (SWaMP) is one of three sub-regional council groupings that have been established for the purposes of waste planning. SWaMP, which consists of eight councils located in the south of the province, was formed shortly after the launch of Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy in 2000. This Strategy recommended that councils come together in groups in order to prepare Waste Management Plans. The other sub-regional council groupings are the Northwest Region Waste Management Group consisting of 7 councils in the north west and Eastern Region Waste Management Group (ARC 21) consisting of 11 councils in the east of the province.

Role
Develop a waste management system that meets the region's needs and contributes to its economic and sustainable development.

Responsibilities

• Establish a long term 20-year Waste Management Plan for the region;
• Set out a short to medium term action plan over a 5-year period as a series of building blocks for the implementation of the Waste Management Plan;
• Strive to ensure that the Waste Management Plan is acceptable to the wider community and builds upon existing services and facilities within the region;
• Ensure all credible technologies are considered in the ongoing assessment and review of waste management technologies, services and options;
• Ensure that a 10-year landfill capacity is provided in the SWaMP region for municipal wastes;
• Adopt a regional approach with respect to the sharing of targets to ensure that the Partnership as a whole is able to meet its targets with individual actions and targets agreed for each Council;
• Maximise as far as possible the economic opportunities arising within the region through the implementation of the Waste Management Plan;
• Ensure the waste planning process is clear and transparent and offers an informative and consultative approach that gives all sections of the community the opportunity to put forward their views.

Targets
The Waste Management Strategy for Northern Ireland requires councils to comply with a number of targets: Recover 25% of household waste by 2005 and
40% of household waste by 2010 of which 25% of biodegradable municipal waste must be diverted.

Performance
SWaMP has the highest recycling rate of any of the sub-regional groups.  Similarly, Banbridge District Council is the best performing council in Northern Ireland in relation to recycling and has been for many years.  It has comfortably met the 2005 target and is already well on its way to meeting the 2010 target.  In 2004, its recycling rate stood at 33%. Its success in the area of recycling is primarily due to the widespread availability of recycling facilities and recycling schemes. The District has 3 Recycling Centres in Banbridge, Dromore and Rathfriland and 26 Recycling Points. In addition, 80% of householders have been given a second bin (brown bin) for the collection of organic waste and a kerbside box for dry recyclables such as paper, glass, plastics, textiles and cans. This box is collected weekly by the environmental charity, Bryson House Recycling.

Members
Armagh City and District Council, Banbridge District Council, Cookstown District Council, Craigavon Borough Council, Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council, Fermanagh District Council, Newry and Mourne District Council and Omagh District Council.

Contact
David Lindsay
Director of Environmental Services
Banbridge District Council 
Civic Building, Downshire Road, Banbridge, Co. Down BT32 3JY
T: 028 4066 0604
F: 028 4066 0601
E: david.lindsay@banbridge.gov.uk
W: www.swampni.org.uk