Commercial Waste Services

Council offer a commercial waste collection service to businesses across the borough.

This includes:

residual & food waste collection service across all 3 areas
recycling service (Larne only)
an annual pricing policy
free duty of care
excellent customer support
a rolling contract

Commercial Collection Charges 2021/22

Alternative Arrangements ¦ Trade Waste Audits ¦ Commercial Waste Containers ¦ HRC Cardboard Pass - Trade Waste
Seasonal / Top Up Collection Service ¦ Contract Terms and Conditions ¦ Duty of Care - Legislation
Food waste - Legislation ¦ Reducing food waste ¦ Contact us

Alternative Arrangements

Ballymena

Normal Day	Revised Day
3 May 2021	Normal Collection
31 May 2021	Normal Collection

Carrickfergus

Normal Day	Revised Day
3 May 2021	Normal Collection
31 May 2021	Normal Collection

Larne

Normal Day	Revised Day
3 May 2021	Normal Collection
31 May 2021	Normal Collection

Contacting our Trade Waste team

While we plan to provide normal customer service provision we are also working to ensure our staff remain safe during this time; therefore, we would ask for your patience in contacting our team.

We would encourage where possible for your requests and enquiries to be logged first and foremost to our online services:

Council Direct Portal 24/7

Please select: MEA request for service – Trade waste

Trade Waste email

E: commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Helpdesk Phoneline

Available Mon – Fri 9am - 5pm (Skeleton Service)

T: 0300 124 5000 (Option 0)

If you have any enquiries about your trade waste collections or require further clarification about the information provided please do not hesitate to contact the trade waste team.

Trade Waste Audits

Our designated trade waste team are available to discuss existing and new arrangements for commercial waste.

We aim to help you increase your businesses recycling and reduce cost. Contact us at E: commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

We are available to arrange suitable collections through Mid and East Antrim or alternatively support you to find alternative providers (whichever best suits your business needs).

Trade Waste FAQs

Due to new N.I Executive Instruction - My business is required to close for 6 wks – can I temporarily suspend my trade waste collections?

As a Council we are acutely aware of the financial challenges businesses will find themselves with. To ensure you do not accrue unnecessary financial costs, if your businesses is required to close in the near future, we would ask you to contact us as soon as possible to suspend your collections.

This will allow us to freeze your account (credit notes for monies paid in advance can be applied) and ensure our crews are deployed more efficiently during this difficult time.

Invoices for 2021/22 will be issued April – Sept & Oct-March (Biannual)

If you do not require collections within this time; we would ask you to contact us when our offices are open prior to 1 January either by telephone 0300 124 5000 (0) or commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Our trade waste team will be able to arrange a temporary suspension on your account, this will ensure you do not get charged for the period when you are closed.

I expect to only be closed for 6 wks – how do I arrange collections for the rest of the quarter?

Charges for trade waste collections are in advance.

If you require a period of no collections we ask you to contact us as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary cost.

Invoices for April - Sept will be issued in the next few weeks; therefore we would urge any businesses who have queries about collection arrangements to make contact with our team.

I am not sure how long I will need to suspend my account for?

We appreciate the businesses affected by the latest announcement find themselves in a very challenging situation.

To support you as much as we can offer flexibility when reinstating your collections.

Once you have advised us you wish to suspend collections we will not reinstate them until you confirm a recommencement date.

When collections are reinstated a credit note for the suspended period will automatically be issued.

How can I change by collections or suspend my account?

Please contact us at commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk and a member of our trade waste team will co-ordinate any changes on your account. Please make sure you advise us of the last collection date you require.

We remain open for business and still require our trade waste collections. What happens now?

We are pleased to see you are still open for business during this difficult time.

We will continue to operate our trade schedules as normally as possible however you may notice a change in collection times as crews and staff may need to rotate or alternate routes. Collection days will remain the same.

Make sure to check alternative dates on the website to ensure you do not miss any of your scheduled collections.

Our business will remain open during lockdown but don’t require the full service we normally have, can we reduce our collections?

Council is aware a number of businesses will continue to operate as essential services; however, requirements for trade collections may be reduced e.g. hospitality, schools etc.

If you wish to adjust your collections please contact our trade team and we can arrange this for you.

Please note as invoices are payable in advance and we require accounts to be paid up to date prior to any changes being made; this will ensure your collections are not affected.

We will, of course, be able to issue a credit note for any collections which will not take place due to a reduction in frequency or number of bins lifted.

If you would like to discuss this further please don’t hesitate to contact the trade team on commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk or 0300 124 5000 (0).

Invoicing

Invoices are issued in advance.

Please be advised any invoices for the financial yr 2020/21 are now overdue and collections arrangements for any premises on aged debt cannot be reinstated until balances are addressed. Please contact our team as soon as possible to discuss any arrears on your account.

Prompt payment within 30 days of invoice receipt is required to ensure collections arrangements are not disrupted.

Please provide prompt payment to ensure collections arrangements are not disrupted.

Our business has cardboard to dispose of, can we still access the Household recycling centres?

Trade waste customers can access the household recycling centres for the disposal of cardboard as part of contracts. Please make sure to check the council website for the latest opening arrangements for sites as these have changed during Covid-19.

Passes for the new financial year can be downloaded or requested via our trade waste team over the phone/ by e-mail.

CARRICKFERGUS CUSTOMERS – please be aware access to the site is by booking only.

Booking is available online 24/7.

My business has permanently closed and I no longer need waste collections?

We are sorry to hear this news, we will do all we can to finalise the details of your account as quickly as possible for you. Any advance payment for collections not received will be provided to you in form of a credit note. This will be issued in the manner payment was made.

To ensure this is processed for you – make sure you contact our trade waste team when you need collections to stop. This will be the effective date to end your contract. In this situation, 30 days notice will be waivered.

Where can I find tips for the public and staff regarding trade waste collections?

To ensure the continued safety of the public and staff we would ask businesses to ensure the following when bins are presented for collections:

Please wipe handles before and after presentation
Please double bag waste such as tissues/wipes and do not include with main bin waste for at least 72 hrs
Only present waste for collection in bin containers or with prepaid tags as per contract – side waste cannot be lifted

Please follow necessary guidelines from the Public Health Agency website in relation to your specific business type.

Will the way I am communicated to about by trade waste collections change during Covid -19 ?

We will continue to post hard copy letters to businesses we do not have e-mail addresses for. We would advise customer updates will be issued by e-mail where possible so please ensure you check your inbox/ junk folders regularly.

If you have a new e-mail address or want to check the e-mail details we hold for you please do not hesitate to contact our team who can check for you: commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk or 0300 124 5000 (0).

I need to discuss my trade waste account during Covid 19 – are staff still available to speak with me?

While we plan to provide normal customer service provision we are also working to ensure our staff remain safe during this time; therefore, we would ask for your patience in contacting our team.

We would encourage where possible for your requests and enquiries to be logged first and foremost to our online services:

Council Direct Portal 24/7
MEA request for service – Trade waste

Trade Waste email 24/7
commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Waste Helpdesk phoneline: available Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm:
0300 124 5000 (Option 0)

If you have any enquiries about your trade waste collections or require further clarification on any trade waste-related matter please do not hesitate to contact the trade waste team.

Commercial Waste Containers

Commercial Collection Charges 2021-22

Collection Service	Container Type	Larne	Ballymena	Carrickfergus
General (Residual Waste)	240lt*	YES	YES	YES
	360lt	YES	YES	YES
	660lt	YES	YES	YES
	1100lt	YES	YES	YES
	Seasonal/Top Up Tags	YES	YES	YES
	Bags (Up to 10) / Manual	YES	YES	YES
Blue (Dry Recycling Waste)	240lt*	YES	n/a	n/a
Food (Organic Waste)	140lt	YES	YES	YES
Food (Organic Waste)	240lt*	YES	YES	YES

*240lt bin refers to standard domestic size bin

Seasonal / Top Up Collection Service

Seasonal / Top Up Service Guidance Note (PDF 333KB)

Contract Terms and Conditions

Commercial Collection Terms and Conditions Contract (PDF 224KB)

Duty of Care - Legislation

All businesses have a duty of care to ensure any waste they produce is handled safely and within the law. A Waste transfer note is required to allow us to know what waste we are handling on your behalf. This is a legal requirement issued under Article 5 of the Waste And Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency*. You can read a simple guide to your responsibilities on the Right Waste, Right Place website.

Council offers a free annual waste transfer note for our customers available in the following ways:

Email	E: commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk to request an electronic copy
Post	T: 0300 124 5000 (Option 0) have a copy posted out

*Please note a duty of care is only valid when the document provided has been signed and copy returned to our trade team.

Residual Duty of Care Dry Recycling Duty of Care

Organic Duty of Care SIC code guidance

Food waste - Legislation

As of 1 April 2017 The Northern Ireland Environment Agency introduced new legislation that means that all businesses that generate more than 5kg of food waste must have a food waste collection.

Businesses can arrange the collection through their own waste collection contract. Our commercial waste service can also provide a food waste collection, please phone us on T: 0300 124 5000 (0) for more information.

As part of this new legislation, we will not collect general commercial waste bins which contain 5kg or more of food waste.

For more information please contact Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

Download: Northern Ireland Environment Agency Guidance on food waste collections (PDF 449KB)

Reducing food waste

In 2013 WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) published research showing that food waste cost the UK Hospitality and Food Service (HaFS) sector around £2.5billion each year.

Over half of this food waste is currently not being recycled, even though it could be. Recycling food waste can save businesses a lot of money, and most businesses recover the costs of implementing a food waste programme within the first two years.

WRAP produced a set of campaign resources, “Your Business is Food; don’t throw it away” (PDF - 593KB) for the HaFS sector providing practical tools for measuring and reducing food waste. These resources include tips for reducing food waste and engaging staff.

Please contact T: 0300 124 5000 (0) or E: commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk of you would like more information about participating in this project through our Environmental Services Section.

HRC Cardboard Pass – Trade Waste

Trade waste customers of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council are entitled to access our Household Recycling Centres free of charge to recycle cardboard. Passes are available from the Trade waste team by contacting:

T: 0300 124 5000 (0)
E: commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Or can be downloaded:

Download Cardboard Pass

Customers can access the pass using the encrypted password provided by our trade waste team.

Check your nearest HRC and opening times.

Please note from October 2020 – any trade waste customer carrying cardboard (from their own premise) to our HRCs will be required to present a lower tier waste carriers licence with their customer pass.

This licence is a legal requirement, free of charge and does not require renewal. Further details are available on our Waste Carriers Licence - Lower Tier Fact Sheet, from the DAERA website or from our Household Recycling Centre Supervisor via T: 0300 124 5000 (0) or E: waste.helpdesk@midandeastantrim.gov.uk.