Northern Ireland’s recycling rate dips in 2021/22

Published by Northern Ireland’s department of agriculture, environment and rural affairs (Daera), the statistics show the recycling rate for household waste only, which accounted for 88% of all waste, was 50.1% in 202/22, down from 50.9% the previous year. This meant the country still hit its 50% target.

Meanwhile, as outlined below, the total amount of waste collected by councils rose by 3,000 tonnes to 1,034,637. The percentage of waste sent to landfill rose from 22.8% to 24.9%, while energy recovery rates fell from 24.6% to 23.2%.

Councils

Household waste includes materials collected directly from households via kerbside collections, material taken to bring sites and civic amenity sites, as well as several other smaller sources.

Belfast generated the smallest amount of household waste per capita at 429kg, whilst Antrim and Newtownabbey recorded the largest at 554kg per capita.

Antrim and Newtownabbey also reported the largest increase in their waste arisings compared with last year, by 11.9%. A 34.9% increase in waste collected at civic amenity sites in the council area was the primary reason why.

Six councils reported decreases in waste arisings, with the largest decrease recorded in Mid and East Antrim where volumes fell by 2.9%.

Eight councils reported decreased household recycling rates compared to 2020/21, with Ards and North Down reporting the largest decrease at 2.6 percentage points.

The decreased recycling rate for Ards and North Down can mostly be attributed to a fall in the household waste composting rate, which decreased by 1.9 percentage points.

Green waste

There was considerable variation in household dry recycling and composting rates between councils.

Derry City and Strabane and Fermanagh and Omagh recorded the highest dry recycling rate at 26.9%, whilst Lisburn and Castlereagh recorded the lowest rate at 19.2%.

The highest composting rate was in Antrim and Newtownabbey at 35.6% with Derry City and Strabane having the lowest rate at 18.0%.

“Differences in composting rates across the council areas can be affected by variations in the urban-rural characteristics of the council areas,” Daera said.