Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics released

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

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.

Download the Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics

The key points are:

• Northern Ireland’s councils collected 230,942 tonnes of LAC municipal waste between October and December 2018, similar to the 232,012 tonnes collected during the same three months of 2017. Household waste accounted for 89.6% of total LAC municipal waste. Newry, Mourne & Down produced the smallest quantity of household waste per capita at 98kg, whilst the largest quantity per capita was recorded in Antrim & Newtownabbey at 133kg.
• The household waste preparing for reuse, dry recycling and composting rate was 47.7% between October and December 2018, an increase on the 46.9% recorded during the same three months of 2017. At council level, rates varied from 41.7% in Belfast to 56.3% in Mid Ulster.
• The LAC municipal waste energy recovery rate was 19.4%, an increase on the 17.6% reported for October to December 2017. The highest rate was recorded in Newry, Mourne & Down at 47.4% and the lowest was 5.0% in Ards & North Down.    
• The latest quarterly landfill rate for household waste is 30.1%, a further reduction on the 32.5% recorded during the same three months of 2017. 
• There were 39,045 tonnes of biodegradable local authority collected municipal waste (BLACMW) sent to landfill between October and December 2018. This was 9.9% lower than the 43,315 tonnes sent between the same three months of 2017, and accounted for a smaller proportion of the permitted annual allowance allocated to councils for sending BLACMW to landfill, 16.7% between October and December 2018 compared to 17.4% in the equivalent quarter of 2017.

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 third report for the 2018/19 financial year covering the period October to December 2018. View current and previous reports dating back to 2009/10 .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 fifteenth 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. Follow DAERA on Twitter and Facebook. 
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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