Mid and East Antrim triple stack bins funding blow

Speaking at the meeting, the council’s operations director Philip Thompson told councillors the local authority’s application to the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) may result in funding of just 50 per cent.

The new triple stack bins planned for Mid and East Antrim are expected to  cost £4.2m.

“We were under the impression we would get 100 per cent,” said Mr Thompson.

He indicated that he and the council’s chief executive Anne Donaghy will be meeting with DAERA Minister Gordon Lyons on February 17 to discuss the issue.

Concern was expressed among residents over the capacity of the triple stack system which is expected to replace blue bins in Larne and kerbside boxes in Carrickfergus and Ballymena.

It has been proposed that existing black bins with a 240 litre capacity will be replaced with those for 180 litres. These and brown bins will continue to be lifted every two weeks. The triple stack boxes which hold 165 litres will be emptied weekly. The blue bins will be removed.

More than 1,300 people have signed an online petition urging a rethink by council on the triple stack bins.

Waste management remains one of the highest revenue spends for the council costing £9m annually. The chief executive has told the council previously she was “very hopeful” it will secure the £4.2m  funding needed to implement the new system.

Recently, local authorities were asked to respond to a discussion paper ‘Future Recycling and Separate Collection of Waste of a Household Nature in Northern Ireland’ from DAERA.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council is also seeking DAERA funding for the roll-out of triple stack bins in Antrim.

It is understood that DAERA would like an agreed set of materials that would be collected from all households in Northern Ireland like the existing glass, paper/card, plastic bottles/tubs, and cans collected in the majority of the borough along with the possible inclusion of food and drinks cartons and plastic bags/film.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

Click here to read: Mid and East Antrim residents to pilot triple bin system

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