WEST Belfast residents should be able to use a recycling centre in the neighbouring council area as the city suffers new levels of “waste tourism,” a councillor has said
People Before Profit councillor Michael Collins told the October meeting of Belfast City Council that residents in the Colin area should be able to use the Cutts Household Recycling Centre in the Lisburn council area.
The Colin area in south west Belfast, which includes Poleglass, Lagmore, Twinbrook, Ladybrook, Stewartstown and Dunmurry, has a population the equivalent of Newry with more than 34,000 residents but has no dedicated household recycling facility.
The Colin area used to be a part of the old Lisburn council, and became part of Belfast in 2015 under a shakeup of councils.
Mr Collins said: “I want to welcome the fact that the council is looking at making a report into booking systems in our recycling centres. It talks about waste tourism, that is, basically people coming from outside of Belfast and dumping stuff in recycling centres.
“It says the issue has escalated since a neighbouring council has introduced a booking system for all site users in September 2023. I wanted to query, is that relating to the Cutts recycling centre and its refusal to allow Belfast to actually use it?”
Ards and North Down Borough Council made a decision in September 2023 to introduce a booking system, in an attempt to deal with its own problem of waste tourism.
The councillor added: “I think this is wrong. There are thousands of people that live in the vicinity of this recycling centre (the Cutts) who aren’t able to use it, who are being denied access to it, from areas like Lagmore, Poleglass and Twinbrook.
“It is by far and away the nearest facility to them, but they are being denied access to it by Lisburn and Castlereagh Council. I previously proposed writing to them, we did, and they got back to us some time ago to say they essentially weren’t going to change the system.
“To me it doesn’t make any sense, especially in areas where there are council boundaries. The Cutts is on a boundary between the Colin constituency and Lisburn Lagan Valley.
“It is particularly in those areas where there is a crossover, that councils need to work together. It is without precedence – you don’t go into a leisure centre and get asked for proof of address.
“We as a council need to do more to put pressure on Lisburn and Castlereagh to make sure residents of Colin are able to avail of this recycling centre, given it is right on their doorstep.”
The update report at the full council states waste tourism is on the rise in Belfast
It is noted that all neighbouring councils have various policies and procedures in place, such as proof of residency or an online booking system for site users to restrict waste at their sites to that of their own ratepayers.