November 2011

QPANI Sponsor Sustainable Ireland Awards 2011

Biodiversity Project of the Year Award... “and the winner is…”

Photo caption: QPANI presents McLaughlin & Harvey with their Biodiversity Project of the Year Award at the Sustainable Ireland Awards 2011ceremony. Pictured is Noel Thompson (Event Host), Staff from McLaughlin & Harvey, Laverne Bell (QPANI) and Golda Burrows (Sustainable Ireland).

MCLAUGHLIN & HARVEY has been recognised for one of its innovative biodiversity projects – at Loch Ryan in Scotland - at the Sustainable Ireland Awards 2011.

The company was presented with the ‘Biodiversity Project of the Year’ award, sponsored by Quarry Products Association Northern Ireland, at a glittering ceremony at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast where the keynote speaker was Environment Minister Alex Attwood.

The judges said they were ‘highly impressed by the quality of the entries this year,’ but that the McLaughlin & Harvey project stood out.

“It has clearly enhanced the biodiversity of the area in which it is located, it has provided an excellent habitat for native species, has raised community awareness of biodiversity and has also provided learning opportunities in conservation and biodiversity for local schools.”

The winning project was carried out along what is a six mile stretch of shoreline along Loch Ryan from Stranraer in Scotland out to Old House Point where the new Stena Ferry Terminal has been built.

It has not only enhanced the habitats in the six mile long corridor to encourage species’ migration up and down the corridor, but also improved the biodiversity of the whole area.

The biodiversity corridor can now be used as a learning resource to raise awareness of biodiversity issues in the local area.

This was the sixth year of the Energy, Environmental & Waste Management awards, organised by the Hillsborough based publishers of Sustainable Ireland magazine, 4SquareMedia, to celebrate the contribution industry makes to the environment and to sustainability.

There were 13 categories, ranging from Best Energy Manager and Best Waste Carrier to Biodiversity Project of the Year and Best Use of Renewable Energy Sources.

Minister Attwood told the event: “The implementation of our Waste Strategy has led to great strides in recycling waste. Our 2006 target for recycling domestic waste was 35% but in fact we’ve achieved nearly 36% in 2009/10.

“This is quite an achievement, given we were at only 10% in 2002. This is down to everyone playing their part whether it’s Government, Local Government, the business sector or the individual citizen.

 “But we can do much more. I want Northern Ireland to be recycling 60% of its waste by 2020. Ambitious? Yes, but doable in my opinion and a challenge for all of us here today.”

ENDS

Notes for Editor

For more information on the Sustainable Ireland Awards and the Sustainable Ireland Magazine please visit online at www.sustainableireland.co.uk or contact Golda Burrows at golda@4squaremedia.net.

The Quarry Products Association NI represents approximately 95% of companies involved in the supply of quarry products to the Construction Industry in Northern Ireland. Our Association draws its membership from companies engaged in providing primary aggregates, the processing of recycled and secondary materials, the production of downstream products such as asphalt, lime mortar, ready-mixed concrete, precast concrete and road surfacing contracting. The Quarry Products Sector now employs over 3500 people across Northern Ireland and has a turnover of some £500 million.

For further information please contact Gordon Best, Regional Director, Quarry Products Association, Nutts Corner Business Park, Crumlin BT29 4SR Tel 02890824078 Fax 028 90825103 email info@qpani  mobile 07876 136929