Northern Ireland is sitting on a waste time bomb, according to a University of Ulster academic.

Alan Strong, a senior lecturer at the School of the Built Environment, said that unless Northern Ireland can slash the amount of waste it sends to landfill sites over the next 15 years, ratepayers could face heavy financial penalties predicted to run into millions of pounds, phased in against waste management targets for 2010, 2013 and 2020.

The waste management expert told a group of Hungarian scientists and engineers who are on a week-long fact-finding visit to Northern Ireland that almost 90% of waste in the province is dumped in landfill sites. EU directives have set a target of 35% of waste going to landfill sites by 2020.

Mr Strong said that if Northern Ireland doesn’t meet that target, local authorities could be fined by the EU - with the cost inevitably being passed onto ratepayers. “It’s a disaster waiting to happen”, he warned.

The Hungarian delegation are on the EU-funded trip to Northern Ireland to examine best practice in waste and water management and recycling.

After a reception by Professor Bill Clarke, Provost of the UU’s Jordanstown campus, the delegation heard a presentation by Mr Strong on the research and teaching conducted by the University on sustainable development.

Mr Strong said: “The delegation is visiting Northern Ireland as part of an exploration of how European countries build sustainable societies. We, at the University of Ulster, are involved on three levels - teaching, research and developing links with the wider community.”

Later this year Mr Strong will travel to Hungary to speak at an international conference on waste.

The delegation also heard from Bill Gowdy, Director of Network Services at the Water Service, on the work of the organisation and how it will develop over the coming years.

He outlined the plans to begin charging householders for water use - an average of £350 a year per property. This will range from around £250 a year for small homes to £700 a year for large properties. Currently the average water charge - paid as part of the rates bill - is around £100-125.

Mr Gowdy said that in future householders may be given the opportunity to have their water use metered - which would be an advantage to small households living in large properties.

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