NI homes 'recycling half our rubbish'

The increase in recycling has been welcomed as 'significant'

Half the rubbish from Northern Ireland homes is now being recycled, according to the latest government statistics.

The amount of waste being sent to landfill has fallen to an all-time low of 32%.

It is the first time the recycling rate has hit 50%, up from 46.4% for the same period last year.

The increase, disclosed in figures issued by the Department of Agriculture and Environment, has been welcomed as "significant".

They are the first figures to be published since new regulations on the separate collection of food waste came into effect in April.

'Valuable resource'

Councils now have to provide a separate bin for household food waste and food businesses must present their food waste for separate collection.

Philip McMurray, DAERA's head of recycling, said he expected the new regulations to bring further improvements in recycling rates.

"Recycling your food waste can seem strange at first but for most people it soon becomes second nature," he said. "And yet such a simple change can make a huge difference.

"Keeping food waste out of landfill not only helps prevent climate change, but the waste can be turned into a valuable resource for our parks and allotments and the process has already created jobs."

Not all councils have a food waste collection, but the scheme is being rolled out across Northern Ireland.