Newtownabbey: 1,000 households to get new food waste bins for 12-month trial period
One thousand households in Newtownabbey are to take part in a 12-month food waste collection trial from September.
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Operations Committee, which met at Antrim Civic Centre, on Monday evening, was told the trial will take place at homes in the Blackrock/Aylesbury/Dermont areas of Mallusk.
Participating households will be provided with a 23-litre outdoor food caddy, kitchen food caddy and compostable caddy liners.
A committee report said: “The food waste collection trial will commence in September with approximately 1,000 households receiving a weekly food only kerbside collection alongside their wheelie box service.
“The purpose of the trial is to monitor the yield of food waste collected separately in comparison to co-mingled green and food waste collections.”
The report noted separate food waste collection services are mandatory for councils in England.
Councillors were advised the trial is to take place as part of funding received from Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) for the “harmonisation project” which saw triple stack bins rolled out to households in Antrim.
The council will review food waste collection rates during the trial and will consider the feasibility of extending the service to other areas of the borough, the report said. A resident survey will gather feedback.
Michael Laverty, director of environmental services and sustainability, explained that participating households’ food waste would be placed in a new separate lockable container instead of their brown bins.
The director told the committee, at present, 30 per cent of black household bins contain waste. “The Department is very keen to try to tackle that and get food waste out of black bins,” he stated.
Threemilewater DUP Councillor Mark Cooper BEM said: “I’m a bit disappointed this is not being trialled in a mix of housing estates. I do not think it will give us a full clear picture.”
Airport Alliance Cllr Andrew McAuley questioned the addition of another household bin. “Adding another bin. I’m not sure where it goes. It is extremely windy in the area. I’m concerned about it getting blown over.”
Cllr McAuley went on to ask about bin liners and if a 23-litre size will be provided by the council.
Mr Laverty indicated participating households will be provided with a “lockable food bucket”. Householders will be requested to place filled kitchen caddy liners inside the container. He estimated they would hold four or five bags of food waste.
Macedon Alliance Cllr Billy Webb MBE remarked: “The message here is we should only cook as much food as we would eat.”
Glengormley DUP Alderman Paula Bradley asked if residents could still place food waste in brown household bins if there is not enough space in the proposed new container. The director said they would be able to do so.
In December 2024, the council agreed residents would receive two free rolls of caddy liners annually with further liners available at council and community facilities after councillors approved a reduction in a bid to cut costs.
It was anticipated this reduction would result in a saving of £70k. Previously, food caddy liners were available on demand by attaching a tag to the handle of a brown bin or by collection from council facilities as an incentive for recycling domestic food waste.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter