Proposal to standardise household recycling collections across the Borough
Friday 11 April 2025
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has been researching ways to make recycling simpler for householders and to improve recycling rates across the Borough.
A new collection model was approved at a Waste Harmonisation sub-committee on 24 February. This proposal was then agreed at Full Council on the 3 April. Council officers are now progressing with the approved collection model, which will be a ‘co-mingled’ collection service. This will see all dry recycling materials being placed into one bin. Households in Ballymena and Carrickfergus will receive a new 240L blue bin. Larne area residents will continue to use the blue bin they have. Collection of this blue recycling bin will be on a fortnightly basis.
Councils across Northern Ireland were set ambitious recycling targets of 55% recycling by 2025, yet in 2023/24 Mid & East Antrim achieved a recycling rate of 50.67%. In addition to this, legislation has set a 60% recycling target by 2040, 65% by 2035.
The new Climate Change (NI) Act 2022 also brings an even more ambitious target of 70% recycling by 2030, however it would also require local businesses to participate in recycling.
Concerned by these figures, Council formed a Waste Harmonisation sub-committee that set about reviewing the current household kerbside dry recycling collection service across the Borough.
Using recycling collection data from across the Borough, alongside data from other councils across NI, the sub-committee evaluated a range of collection model options.
The Waste Harmonisation sub-committee also considered early feedback from our residents (MEA Residents Survey 2025) who called for greater focus on simplifying recycling collections. They identified the need to make it easier for households to participate in the recycling process and support Council’s waste initiatives.
Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman William McCaughey, welcomed the proposal. He said,
“Council have long sought to standardise waste collection provisions across the three legacy Boroughs and improve the service for all residents in Mid & East Antrim.
“The proposal leads the way to increasing Mid and East Antrim’s recycling capacity for households, in a simplified way. It will also see Council investing in fleet and staffing to provide a more adaptable and efficient recycling service.”
The next step for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is to carry out a public consultation on the proposed new collection model and undertake an economic appraisal. Once these are completed Council will establish a timetable for rolling out the new recycling collection service.
Residents are asked to continue using their current recycling collection service until further notification.
Residents can find out more information about what they currently can and can’t recycle through the Council’s website.