Conflict in Lisburn and Castlereagh Environmental Committee as parties split over way forward on recycling of household waste

The Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has asked all 11 local authorities in Northern Ireland to bring forward new policy options on household bin collections.

DAERA has proposed its own view for greater separation of recyclable waste at collection, which differs from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s (LCCC) planned co-mingled larger recycle bins.

At a recent environment committee meeting, Castlereagh East Alliance Alderman, Martin Gregg said: “I am more than a little disappointed by the response we have given.

“In DAERA’s consultation, the papers as I read them, it suggests co-mingled collections will be illegal.

“We are a progressive council. This is not the response the council and the ratepayers deserve and it will be dismantled by the department.” LCCC previously approved a preferred option for larger co-mingled dry recycling bins behind closed doors in January 2023, but its roll-out has been held back due to the DAERA consultation process. A local authority environment officer claimed that co-mingled collection would not be illegal and referred to different methods used across the other regions of the UK.

He said: “This is the most significant consultation on waste for a generation and probably even for the next generation to come. This has been a very well considered and robust response.

“On the frequency and type of collection, DAERA should let us decide on it, it should not be dictated to us.

“It is two sides of the same coin. Smaller bins collected more often or bigger bins collected less often. It is a similar outcome.”

Acting director of environmental services, Richard Harvey expressed his concern of the Alliance opposition to the council’s draft response saying, “I would rather as a council that we had a strong voice”.

Castlereagh East DUP Councillor John Laverty added: “It is disappointing that the second largest party could block us by going against what we are doing here….and not allow us to go forward with one voice.”Alderman Gregg responded: “The majority voice will support the draft response, but unfortunately it will not be unanimous, we, Alliance can’t support it.”