After recycling and composting, the contents left in a bin which is known as residual waste, would usually be sent straight to landfill. However earlier this year the Council entered into a new contract to treat and recover as much of this waste as possible, notably reducing the amount of waste going to landfill which allows for a more sustainable future.
Since February 2025 none of the Borough’s black bin waste, rubbish from the street litter bins or from the household recycling centres, has been sent directly to landfill. Instead, the waste is processed, recycled and treated in order to recover valuable materials that can be reused and recycled.
In the most recent waste management report released by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Antrim and Newtownabbey achieved the highest Recycling Rate of 62.2%, surpassing all other local councils. The Council is continuously striving to increase recycling rates and encourage proper recycling practices to ensure a cleaner, greener Borough.
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Neil Kelly, welcomed the move and stated “This is another example of the Council demonstrating its commitment to providing a clean, safe and sustainable environment for all our residents, working to create a more circular economy by reducing waste, promoting recycling and reuse, and finding innovative local solutions for waste management.”