Recycled nappies: Derry & Strabane Council to write to Minister on potential environmental project

At this month’s Environment and Regeneration Committee melting, members were presented with correspondence from Strangford MLA, Michelle McIlveen, requesting that council write to DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir, to request the introduction of such a scheme across Northern Ireland.

Ms McIlveen said the recycle rate in Northern Ireland, as of March 2024, was just over 46 percent, which is considerably below the Climate Change Act’s target of 70 percent recycling by 2030.

She noted that proposals contained within DAERA’s “Rethinking Our Resources” consultation do not contain any suggestions on how to manage nappy waste, despite the fact that nappies and other absorbent hygiene waste account for 3 to 4 per cent, or 40,00 tonnes, of waste going to landfills or incineration every year.

“Yet it contains recyclable product such as cellulose fibres and plastics,” the MLA said. “And nappies have been collected in Wales since 2009.”

DUP Alderman Julie Middleton said that, as a mother who was “very keen on recycling”, she welcomed any discussion on combating waste, while UUP Alderman Derek Hussey said council should consult on how Wales deals with nappy waste before “jumping into this”.

“Wales has been doing this since 2009,” he said. “So before we actually consider writing to the Minister, I wonder should we be seeking information on the methodology and the cost and resource implications from those who are actually doing it in another part of the United Kingdom?

“I would be mindful that we could be writing to the Minister, who will then say to the councillors ‘right, you get on with it and do it’, so I wonder before we write should we seek further information from those who are doing it and know more about it?”

Director of Environment and Regeneration, Karen Phillips, told the elected members present that the council correspondence could include a request for DAERA to research methods used in Wales on behalf of all 11 local councils.

Andrew Balfour,

Local Democracy Reporter.