NI local authority collected municipal waste management statistics released

Provisional Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics for July to September 2016 have been published today by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

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 267,013 tonnes of LAC municipal waste between July and September 2016. This was a 3.7% increase on the 257,445 tonnes collected during the same three months of 2015.  Household waste accounts for 89.0% of total LAC municipal waste.  Fermanagh & Omagh generated the smallest quantity of household waste per person at 110kg whilst the largest quantity per person was recorded in Antrim & Newtownabbey (152kg). 
• The household waste preparing for reuse, dry recycling and composting rate was 48.5% between July and September 2016, an increase on the 45.3% recorded during the same three months of 2015. At council level, rates varied from 40.9% in Belfast to 55.1% in Mid Ulster. 
• The LAC municipal waste energy recovery rate was 17.8%, an increase of 1.6 percentage points on the July to September 2015 rate of 16.2%.  The highest rate was recorded in Newry, Mourne & Down at 50.7% and the lowest was 2.8% in Fermanagh & Omagh. 
• The latest quarterly landfill rate for household waste only was 33.4%, a further reduction on the 38.2% recorded during the same three months of 2015.  There were 46,162 tonnes of BLACMW sent to landfill between July and September 2016. This was 10.2% lower than the 51,422 tonnes sent between the same three months of 2015 and accounted for less of the annual allowance, 17.6% between July and September 2016 compared to 18.6% in the same quarter of 2015. 

Futher Information

Download the statistical report

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 second report for the 2016/17 financial year covering the period July to September 2016.  Current and previous reports dating back to 2009/10 can be access 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 2016/17 is scheduled for November 2017.

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 sixth release of waste data collected 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.

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. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or email pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk.

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