Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics released

The 2016/17 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 from the DAERA website.

The key points are:

• Northern Ireland’s councils collected 985,994 tonnes of LAC municipal waste. This was a 1.7% increase on the 969,157 tonnes collected in 2015/16. Household waste accounted for 88.8% of total LAC municipal waste. Belfast generated the smallest amount of household waste per person at 427 kg whilst Antrim & Newtownabbey recorded the largest at 555 kg per person.  
• In 2016/17, 44.4% of household waste was sent for preparing for reuse, dry recycling and composting, 2.2 percentage points higher than the 2015/16 rate of 42.2%. At council level, rates vary from 39.4% in Belfast to 51.6% in Mid Ulster.
• The LAC municipal waste energy recovery rate was 18.5% in 2016/17, an increase on the 17.6% recorded in 2015/16. Newry, Mourne & Down had the highest energy recovery rate in 2016/17 at 50.4% whilst the lowest was 3.1% in Fermanagh & Omagh.
• The landfill rate for household waste recorded a new low of 36.7% in 2016/17, a drop of 3.0 percentage points on the 2015/16 rate (39.7%) and a fall from 72.3% in 2006/07. There were 204,380 tonnes of BLACMW sent to landfill during 2016/17, 6.6% lower than the 218,898 tonnes sent in 2015/16, and at 78%, a lower proportion of the allowance used compared to 2015/16 (79%). 

Further Information

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

Notes to editors: 

1. This is the eighth issue of the Northern Ireland local authority collected municipal waste management statistics annual report. This annual report contains the final validated figures for 2016/17 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 second 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 three unaffiliated to any group.
5. arc21: Antrim & Newtownabbey; Ards & North Down, Belfast, Lisburn & Castlereagh; Mid & East Antrim; Newry, Mourne & Down.
6. North West Regional Waste Management Group: Causeway Coast & Glens; Derry City & Strabane.
7. 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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9. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or email DAERA Press Office. 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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