The Inis Mór Sustainable Waste Story

Achursáil Árainn (Recycling Aran) is a community initiative from the Aran Islands Co Galway involving 1,300 residents. It operates as a co-operative to organise curb side collection for waste. It highlights sustainability and almost 60% of waste is recycled and recovered. As part of the recycling project, dry recyclables are baled and sent to Galway; food and organics are composted; and residual waste is examined for reuse projects such as glass being crushed for use as aggregates for concrete, timber being shredded to go into compost, and bulky items, such as old windows, being stored for reuse on agricultural and garden sheds. This has meant that the former landfill site was closed and there is no landfill on the island which is a Special Area of Conservation.

The full story of this fantastic award-winning community project is found in our case studies area here, but also at this link to the group's own summary document