Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics released

Date published: 25 October 2018

Provisional Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics for April to June 2018 have been published today by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

DARD statistics

This statistical report is updated quarterly and contains information on key measurements of local authority collected (LAC) municipal waste for councils and waste management groups in Northern Ireland.

The key points are:

  • Northern Ireland’s councils collected 273,200 tonnes of LAC municipal waste between April and June 2018, 3.8% higher than the 263,167 tonnes collected during the same three months of 2017. Household waste accounted for 89.1% of total LAC municipal waste. Belfast had the smallest quantity of household waste per person at 115kg, whilst the largest quantity per person was recorded in Antrim & Newtownabbey at 160kg.
  • The household waste preparing for reuse, dry recycling and composting rate was 52.6% between April and June 2018, an increase on the 50.0% recorded during the same three months of 2017. At council level, rates varied from 45.2% in Derry City & Strabane to 59.7% in Mid Ulster.
  • The LAC municipal waste energy recovery rate was 17.1%, similar to the 17.6% reported for April to June 2017. The highest rate was recorded in Newry, Mourne & Down at 41.5% and the lowest was 4.8% in Ards & North Down.
  • The latest quarterly landfill rate for household waste was 27.9%, a further reduction on the 32.2% recorded during the same three months of 2017. There were 38,783 tonnes of biodegradable local authority collected municipal waste (BLACMW) sent to landfill between April and June 2018. This was 10.1% lower than the 43,127 tonnes sent between the same three months of 2017. It also accounted for a smaller proportion of the annual allowance, 16.6% between April and June 2018 compared to 17.3% in the equivalent quarter of 2017.

Download the provisional Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics for April to June 2018.

Notes to editors: 

  1. This is the latest in a regular series of quarterly Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics report and is the first report for the 2018/19 financial year covering the period April to June 2018. Current and previous reports dating back to 2009/10 can be accessed from the DAERA website. The series will continue to be updated on a quarterly basis.
  2. All figures are provisional until the final end-year validation has been completed. An annual report with fully validated figures for 2018/19 is scheduled for 28 November 2019.
  3. The data in this report are based on returns made to WasteDataFlow, which is a web based system, used by all UK local authorities to report LAC municipal waste.
  4. There are five main sections in the report which covers local authority collected municipal waste and, where appropriate, household waste: arisings; reuse, dry recycling, composting; energy recovery; landfill; and biodegradable landfill.
  5. The 26 district councils covered by previous reports were reorganised into 11 new councils from 1 April 2015. This is the thirteenth release of waste data collected on an 11 council basis. During this period in Northern Ireland eight of the 11 district councils were split into two Waste Management Groups with three unaffiliated to any group.

    arc21: Antrim & Newtownabbey; Ards & North Down, Belfast, Lisburn & Castlereagh; Mid & East Antrim; Newry, Mourne & Down.

    North West Regional Waste Management Group: Causeway Coast & Glens; Derry City & Strabane.
     
  6. These statistics are released according to the Statement of Compliance with the Pre-release access to Official Statistics Order (NI) 2009. National Statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.
  7. The department may take photographs and videos at announcements and events to publicise its work. Photographs, interviews, videos or other recordings may be issued to media organisations for publicity purposes or used in promotional material, including in publications, newspapers, magazines, other print media, on television, radio and electronic media (including social media and the internet). Photographs and videos will also be stored on the department’s internal records management system. The department will keep the photographs and recordings for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they have been obtained. The department’s Privacy Policy is available on our website. 
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  9. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or via email to: pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer on 028 9037 8110.

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