Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics released

Provisional Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics for April to July 2019 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. 

The key points are:

• Northern Ireland’s councils collected 265,181 tonnes of LAC municipal waste between April and June 2019, 2.9% lower than the 273,200 tonnes collected during the same three months of 2018. Household waste accounted for 88.5% of total LAC municipal waste. Fermanagh & Omagh produced the smallest quantity of household waste per capita at 108kg, whilst the largest quantity per capita was recorded in Antrim & Newtownabbey at 158kg.
• The household waste preparing for reuse, dry recycling and composting rate was 54.8% between April and June 2019, an increase on the 52.6% recorded during the same three months of 2018. At council level, rates varied from 45.5% in Derry City & Strabane to 63.2% in Mid Ulster.
• The LAC municipal waste energy recovery rate was 18.7%, an increase on the 17.1% reported for April to June 2018. The highest rate was recorded in Newry, Mourne & Down at 40.9% and the lowest was 5% in Ards & North Down.    
• The latest quarterly landfill rate for household waste is 24%, a further reduction on the 27.9% recorded during the same three months of 2018.  
• There were 31,905 tonnes of biodegradable local authority collected municipal waste (BLACMW) sent to landfill between April and June 2019. This was 17.3% lower than the 38,595 tonnes sent between the same three months of 2018, and accounted for a smaller proportion of the permitted annual allowance allocated to councils for sending BLACMW to landfill, 14.5% between April and June 2019 compared to 16.5% in the equivalent quarter of 2018.

Download the provisional Northern Ireland collected municipal waste management statistics for April to June 2019

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 2019/20 financial year covering the period April to June 2019. 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 2019/20 is scheduled for November 2020.
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 seventeenth 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 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.
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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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