Derry brown bin joy with 11.7k homes set to join green waste rota

DC&SDC Head of Environment Conor Canning told members of the Council’s Environment & Regeneration Committee that a schedule for roll-out of the 240 litre brown bins has now been completed.

He revealed that the 11,700 bins will be delivered to households for garden waste collection only in Lower and Upper Creggan, Nixon’s Corner, Culmore and Foyle Springs on the cityside.

Across the river homes on the Belt Road and in Church Brae, Ivy Mead, Ardmore, Limavady Road, Strathfoyle, Maydown, Eglinton and Newbuildings, will also get the new brown bins.

Sinn Féin Ballyarnett Councillor Sandra Duffy has welcomed the announcement that households in Culmore, in particular, will benefit.

She said: “This is a welcome development for residents of the Culmore area and I look forward to the full roll-out across the Council District.

“Collections will be in alignment with existing waste collection days therefore there should be no inconvenience or disruption to residents during the introduction of this programme. Collections will be on a fortnightly basis on the same day as existing programmes. This will enable residents to dispose of garden and other green waste conveniently and hassle free.

“I commend the Council Team on their successful roll-out of this environmentally friendly scheme.”

Mr. Canning reported to the committee that kerbside garden waste collections were being extended into Derry after a successful funding application had been made to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

DAERA is providing £531,840 to support the initiative.

The Council waste chief said the areas identified covered all demographics with a focus on properties with gardens.

Collections will take place on “a fortnightly basis and will be aligned with either existing blue or black bin meaning that the householders’ scheduled collection day would not change”, he advised.

“It is anticipated that the scheme will be rolled out to all participants over the summer months,” reported Mr. Canning.

At the February meeting of the E&R Committee Mr. Canning had advised that DC&SDC hoped to divert 1,521 tonnes of waste from landfill and other residual treatments through the scheme. Mr. Canning said this would consequently contribute to an increase in the Council’s composting rate, which for the year to February stood at 17.20 per cent.

A full schedule of households is available at http://meetings.derrycityandstrabanedistrict.com/documents/s26444/Appendix%201%20-%20Green%20Waste.pdf