A new $6 million state-of-art recycling plant should be up and running in Bermuda during 2006.

It promises to be the beginning of a new era in responsible management of waste and energy if Senator Lt. Col. David Burch has anything to do with matters.

He intends his Ministry for Works, Engineering and Housing to lead by example and cut the amount of waste it generates for the refuse tip by separating recyclable items from general trash.

Staff will be encouraged to show environmental responsibility by recycling where possible and the Senator envisages the effort being rolled out to other Government departments.

Speaking to about the new facility being created at the Government quarry at Bailey?s Bay, Sen. Burch said: ?The contracts have been awarded and I?m excited. I?m a great proponent of recycling but I don?t think we do enough within the Government or the Ministry.

?We have recycling bins all around the place hardly being used.

?We need to raise the bar. When the new plant comes online, the people will see that we have started (to recycle) within our Ministry and then we will extend it to the other Government departments and then to the wider community.?

A degree of recycling is already done by businesses on the Island and data on collection rates show a marked difference in performance between Hamilton and St. George, said Sen. Burch.

He said he might be inviting the wrath of St. George?s Mayor E. Michael Jones, but he feels businesses in St. George should ?pull up their socks? and do more to recycle commercial waste.

?Some of the businesses in Hamilton are pretty good, although I have concern about some bars and restaurants. And in St. George?s, we get very, very little (recycling),? he said.

?We have to recycle and find a way that makes it economical for us.?

It has previously been forecast that the new recycling plant at Bailey?s Bay will be completed by May 2006 having been approved by the Development Applications Board in September.