Are you aware of what happens to your 'black bag' waste once it leaves your bin? Experts are sounding the alarm that Northern Ireland, including our community in North Belfast, is rapidly approaching a serious waste crisis unless we develop modern local facilities to manage our own waste.
For years, we've relied on sending our non-recyclable 'residual' waste – the contents of your black bin – to other European countries. These nations then extract valuable energy and heat from it, essentially profiting from our waste. While exporting was once considered an interim solution, it has now become our primary method, leaving us vulnerable.
This isn't just a small amount; in 2024 alone, nearly 290,000 tonnes of this waste, known as Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), was shipped overseas, with a massive 80% of this going through Warrenpoint Port. This figure has more than doubled since 2020 and is set to continue rising unless we find local solutions, making us increasingly dependent on volatile international markets.
This reliance on exporting our waste comes with significant downsides. Environmentally, it creates a huge carbon footprint with waste travelling on roads and ships across Europe. Economically, we're at the mercy of fluctuating prices, potential import taxes from receiving countries, and even disruptions due to weather or geopolitical events. Good waste management suggests waste should be processed as close to its source as possible, a principle we are currently neglecting.
The current situation is not sustainable, and Northern Ireland is falling far behind the rest of the UK and Europe in dealing with its own waste effectively. Without modern, local waste management infrastructure, we risk compounding an already existing wastewater crisis with a serious waste crisis, potentially harming our economy and environmental reputation. The message is clear: developing our own robust, local solutions is no longer optional; it's a critical necessity for a sustainable future for North Belfast and beyond.