Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics released

The 2017/18 Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management annual statistics report has been published today by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

This statistical report is updated annually 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 977,817 tonnes of LAC municipal waste. This was a 0.8% decrease on the 985,994 tonnes collected in 2016/17. Household waste accounted for 89.4% of total LAC municipal waste. Belfast generated the smallest amount of household waste per person at 425 kg whilst Antrim & Newtownabbey recorded the largest at 548 kg per person.
• In 2017/18, 48.1% of household waste was sent for preparing for reuse, dry recycling and composting, 3.7 percentage points higher than the 2016/17 rate of 44.3%. At council level, rates varied from 42.2% in Causeway Coast & Glens to 54.3% in Mid Ulster.
• The LAC municipal waste energy recovery rate was 18.4% in 2017/18, similar to the 18.5% recorded in 2016/17. Newry, Mourne & Down had the highest energy recovery rate in 2017/18 at 49.5% whilst the lowest was 5.5% in Fermanagh & Omagh.    
• The landfill rate for household waste only recorded a new low of 32.0% in 2017/18, a drop of 4.7 percentage points on the 2016/17 rate (36.7%) and a fall from 72.3% in 2006/07.
• There were 171,295 tonnes of biodegradable LAC municipal waste (BLACMW) sent to landfill during 2017/18, 16.2% lower than the 204,380 tonnes sent in 2016/17. In 2017/18, BLACMW sent to landfill equated to 69% of the annual allowance allocated for that year under the Northern Ireland Landfill Allowance Scheme, lower than the proportion of the 2016/17 allowance used (78%) during the previous year.

Further Information

Download the statistical report 

Notes to editors: 

1. This is the ninth issue of the Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics annual report. This annual report contains the final validated figures for 2017/18 which supersede those published in the quarterly reports for the period.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. The 26 councils covered by previous reports were reorganised into 11 new councils from 1 April 2015. This is the third annual release on an 11 council basis. During this period in Northern Ireland 8 of the 11 district councils were split into two Waste Management Groups with 3 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.

5. 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.
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8. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or via email. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer on 028 9037 8110.

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