Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics released

The 2015/16 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. It is available on the DAERA website.

The key points are:

• Northern Ireland’s councils collected 969,157 tonnes of LAC municipal waste. This was a 1.9% increase on the 951,423 tonnes collected in 2014/15. Household waste accounted for 88.8% of total LAC municipal waste. Belfast generated the smallest amount of household waste per person at 418 kg whilst Ards & North Down recorded the largest at 547 kg per person.  
• In 2015/16, 42.2% of household waste was sent for preparing for reuse, dry recycling and composting, similar to the 2014/15 rate of 42.0%. At council level, rates vary from 33.3% in Derry City & Strabane to 49.6% in Mid Ulster.
• The LAC municipal waste energy recovery rate was 17.6% in 2015/16, an increase of 2.7 percentage points on the 14.9% recorded in 2014/15. Derry City & Strabane had the highest energy recovery rate in 2015/16 at 37.2% whilst the lowest was 1.2% in Fermanagh & Omagh.     
• The landfill rate for household waste recorded a new low of 39.7% in 2015/16, a drop of 3 percentage points on the 2014/15 rate (42.7%) and a fall from 72.3% in 2006/07. There were 218,898 tonnes of BLACMW sent to landfill during 2015/16, 4.5% lower than the 229,099 tonnes sent in 2014/15. However, in both years a similar proportion of allowance was used (around 79%). 

Further information

The statistical report containing more detail can be accessed via the DAERA website. 

Notes to editors: 

1. This is the seventh issue of the Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics annual report. This annual report contains the final validated figures for 2015/16 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 district councils covered by previous reports were reorganised into 11 new councils from 1 April 2015. This is the first annual 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.

5. These statistics are released according to the Statement of Compliance with the Pre-release access to Official Statistics Order (NI) 2009 which is available on the DAERA website. 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.

6. Follow us on Twitter @daera_ni. 

7. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or email DAERA Press Office: pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07623 974 383 and your call will be returned.

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