A key feature of the Order is the creation of a centralised regulatory body by the establishment of a new inspectorate within the Environment and Heritage Service.

Section 23 of the Order also places a duty on Local Authorities to prepare Waste Management Plans. The Order states that the District Councils shall include the following information:

• in relation to recovering waste:
  • the kinds and quantities of controlled waste which the Council expects to collect during the period specified in the plan
  • the kinds and quantities of controlled waste which the Council expects to purchase during that period
  • the kinds and quantities of controlled waste which the Council expects to deal with
  • the arrangements which the Council expects to make during that period with other District Councils or waste disposal contractors for them to deal with waste in those ways
  • the plant and equipment which the Council expects to provide
  • the estimated costs or savings attributable to the methods of dealing with the waste in the ways provided for in the plan
• in relation to treatment or disposal of waste:
  • the kinds and quantities of controlled waste which the Council expects to be situated in its district during that period
  • the kinds and quantities of controlled waste which the Council expects to be brought into or taken for disposal out of its district during that period
  • the kinds and quantities of controlled waste which the Council expects to be disposed of within its district during that period
  • the methods and the respective priorities for the methods by which, in the opinion of the Council, controlled waste in its district should be disposed of or treated during that period
  • the sites and equipment which persons are providing and which during that period are expected to provide for disposal of controlled waste
  • the estimated costs of the methods of disposal or treatment provided for in the plan

The EU Packaging Directive (94/62/EEC) is implemented in Northern Ireland by the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1999. These Regulations set out targets for compliance with levels of packaging recycling and recovery as stated in the Directive, these are set out in the table below.

These regulations implement the 1991 EU Directive on Hazardous Waste (91/689/EEC as amended by 94/31/EEC).

The regulations were introduced in September 1999, requiring waste carriers to be registered with the Department by March 2000.

Published in November 2001 this consultation paper contains draft regulations and a draft code of practice in accordance with Article 5(9) of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 which imposes a new duty of care on persons concerned with controlled waste. This applies to any persons who produces, imports, carries, keeps, treats or disposes of controlled waste, or, as a broker has control of such waste. The code of practice provides the main steps that are normally necessary to meet the duty of care, thus ensuring that waste is not illegally managed.