Joseph Doherty, CEO of waste administration agency Re-Gen, writes
The Northern Eire Native Authority Collected Municipal Waste Administration Statistics annual report for 2023/2024 has supplied clear proof that the commingled, three-bin waste assortment system delivers greater family dry recycling charges in comparison with a multi-stream, kerbside type system, Re-Gen has acknowledged.
The report revealed that native council areas utilising a commingled blue bin system for dry recyclables, resembling paper, cardboard, cans, and glass, achieved the very best recycling charges. In stark distinction, council areas counting on kerbside type methods, the place house owners type recyclables into a number of bins, recorded the bottom recycling charges.
Commingled methods dominate recycling charges
The statistics highlighted Derry Metropolis & Strabane as the highest performer with a dry recycling price of 29.2%, utilizing a commingled system inclusive of glass. Conversely, Lisburn & Castlereagh, which primarily makes use of a kerbside type system with restricted commingled collections, recorded the bottom dry recycling price at simply 17.5%. In actual fact, 4 of the highest 5 use the absolutely commingled system, and three of the underside 4 use the kerbside multi stream system. This pattern is constant throughout a number of years and subsequently demonstrates the effectiveness of commingled assortment methods in reaching greater recycling charges. (Northern Eire Native Authority Collected Municipal Waste Administration Statistics 2023/2024)
Joseph Doherty, Chief Government of Re-Gen, emphasised: “Waste management statistics consistently prove that commingled systems, particularly those inclusive of glass, deliver the highest recycling rates. The data shows what we’ve long advocated: commingled systems are superior for carbon efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and householder convenience.”
Comfort drives participation
Doherty identified the basic flaw within the kerbside type system: “Requiring householders to sort recyclables into multiple boxes is both inconvenient and inefficient. It essentially shifts the responsibility of sorting waste onto individuals, which discourages participation. At Re-Gen, we believe this process is better handled by advanced facilities equipped with state-of-the-art technology.”
Investing in superior recycling know-how
Re-Gen has invested closely in its supplies restoration facility, leveraging AI and robotics to optimise sorting processes and cut back contamination ranges. Over the previous twenty years, the corporate has refined its operations to provide high-quality recyclates, resembling paper, cardboard, metals and glass which help the round economic system in Northern Eire. Re-Gen lately received Greatest Recycling Firm and Greatest Paper Recycling Firm within the 2024 Recycling Awards. The award recognised Re-Gen’s functionality for glass and paper to be collected in the identical bin and nonetheless be recycled again to bottle and paper once more thus fulfilling the wants of the round economic system.
Value and carbon effectivity
Commingled waste assortment can be extra economical. Estimates recommend that transitioning all council areas in Northern Eire to kerbside type methods would price £1.2 billion over seven years. (Embrace supply Grant Thornton June 2024)
Moreover, a research by eminent carbon consultants Eunomia, revealed in June 2024, demonstrated that Re-Gen’s commingled system considerably outperforms the kerbside type system when it comes to carbon affect per tonne in Northern Eire. Eunomia’s evaluation of Re-Gen’s commingled sorting course of confirmed its superior environmental efficiency.
House owners want the 3-bin system
Intensive unbiased analysis carried out by LucidTalk in June 2024 concluded that Northern Irish house owners want the blue bin system. Over 79% of these at the moment utilizing the blue bin don’t need to swap to the kerbside field system.
Northern Eire: Progress in Recycling and Waste Administration
The 2023/2024 report additionally highlighted broader progress in waste administration throughout Northern Eire
- Total recycling price: Elevated to 50.5%, up by 0.9% from the earlier yr (Northern Eire Native Authority Collected Municipal Waste Administration Statistics 2023/2024).
- Landfill price: Dropped from 23.1% in 2022/2023 to 18.4%, because of developments in restoration and recycling processes.
- Power restoration: Rose from 25.4% to 29.7%, with Re-Gen exporting residual waste to Scandinavian energy vegetation that utilise each electrical energy and warmth, making certain most effectivity (Northern Eire Native Authority Collected Municipal Waste Administration Statistics 2023/2024).
A transparent path ahead
While the most recent statistics present progress total, there may be nonetheless a lot work to be completed if we’re to hit the 70% total recycling targets by 2030. To realize this can require additional investments in AI and superior sorting know-how, alongside authorities programmes to advertise extra recycling by house owners. Nevertheless, the information is obvious, the extra easy the system, the extra folks will recycle. It truly is that easy!
* All statistics cited are sourced from the Northern Eire Native Authority Collected Municipal Waste Administration Statistics 2023/2024 annual report and associated references to Eunomia Analysis and Consulting.
