Formed in 1998, Northern Inland Regional Waste (NIRW) is a voluntary regional waste group formed on the collaboration of Councils from the New England and North West region of New South Wales, who are focused on delivering cost effective and sustainable waste management options for the regional community. 

The group's membership consists of the following 13 local government councils Armidale Dumaresq, Glen Innes Severn Shire, Gunnedah Shire, Guyra Shire, Gwydir Shire, Inverell Shire, Liverpool Plains Shire, Moree Plains Shire, Narrabri Shire, Tamworth Regional, Tenterfield Shire, Uralla Shire and Walcha.

Tamworth Regional Council has been an active member of the Northern Inland Regional Waste (NIRW) group since 1998 and participate in a range of regional initiatives.

NIRW Objectives 

The objectives of NIRW are to:

• Develop and implement regional programs that achieve a sustainable balance between the regions social, economic and environmental needs.
• Encourage partnerships and cooperation between member Councils and external stakeholders in a collaborative approach to addressing sustainability issues for the overall benefit of our regions.
• Identify and investigate all opportunities for coordinated approaches in the provision of waste management services and the achievement of waste avoidance and waste minimisation within the region.
• Consider all waste management issues affecting member Councils, where possible, and speak as one voice in response to State and Federal Government initiatives or directives.
• To prevent the generation of waste and promote awareness by commerce and industry with the ideal being – what is good for commerce and industry is good for the environment.
• To maximise the recovery, recycling and reuse of resources from waste whilst addressing the concept of renewable energy along with a change of thinking.
• To build on previous successes and efforts of waste management, resource recovery and sustainability issues.