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 2022/23

New Customer Information – We are in the process of updating our trade waste collections and currently are not taking on new customers. All updates will be posted online.

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

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:

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.

Alternative Arrangements

The Government has announced that there will be an additional bank holiday on Monday 19 September to mark the occasion of the State Funeral of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

With this in mind, I wish to advise that Trade Waste collections will run as normal on this date.

If your business has taken the decision to close on Monday and won’t require a collection, please contact the team in advance to organise an alternative collection or credit note.

If you have any additional queries for the team, please contact commercial.waste@midandeastantrim.gov.uk or alternatively the Helpdesk on 0300 124 5000 (Option 0).

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).

New Route Optimisation system

Council are in the process of introducing a new route optimisation system for trade waste.

What this means for customers?

You will appreciate the smooth implementation of this new system is a priority. We are now migrating existing account data onto new software (which will populate existing routes).

During this time we will not be accepting any changes to contracts (unless termination) to ensure the smooth transition of all customer details.

From Monday 6 December until such times as we complete migration we will maintain existing customer details as is.

To reassure you during this time:

Your collections arrangements will remain the same – no changes will be made to your collection days or frequency
We will continue to provide service information and updates online, we would recommend checking this regularly

If you require additional collections before the end of the current payment period our seasonal tag service continues to operate.

In the next phase of this project we plan to run optimised route models to improve the efficiency of our collection services. At which time we will contact you directly if there is any impact on your current level of service provision.

All existing arrangements will remain in place until 31 March 2022 (as per current payment period).

Trade Waste Team
Waste Operations
c/o Ardeevin
80 Galgorm Road
BALLYMENA
BT42 1AB

As a reminder some features we will be able to provide with the new system are:

Online collection calendars
Electronic contracts/ duty of care documents/ invoices
Text alerts for service updates
Customer service team with live collection monitoring information

If you have any questions about the implementation of the new route optimisation system or any other trade waste queries please do not hesitate to contact the team.

Trade Waste FAQs

I haven't received my invoice for Period 1 (April- Sept 2022). When can I expect it?

Our Finance team are currently working on introducing a new system for trade invoicing. We expect Period 1 invoices to be issued in June 2022. Please ensure your details are up to date. Prompt payments arrangements remain in place.

I missed collections due to the strike action. Will I get a refund?

We have information about premises not collected during strike action and customers impacted have already been in touch. These customers will receive appropriate credit notes when invoices are issued.

If you need to check anything regarding your trade waste account, please contact the trade team as soon as possible.

I would like to set up an new trade waste account?

Council are currently in the process of implementing a new Route Optimisation software system for domestic and trade waste collections. To facilitate this process we are not currently adding new customers to our collection schedules.

We continue to maintain existing level of service for current customers. If you require further information about options available please contact our trade waste team on T: 0300 124 5000 (0).

I expect to only be closed for a short period – 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.

Contact our trade team on 0300 124 5000 (0) to discuss arrangements.

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 my collections or suspend my account?

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

When will I be invoiced?

Invoices are issued in advance.

Invoices for are issued April – Sept & Oct-March (Biannual).

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

Customers should ensure prompt payment so collections arrangements are not disrupted.

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 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.

Sullatober Household Recycling Centre, reopens on Monday 16 May.

With this in mind, bookings are no longer required at the Larne South recycling centre from Saturday 14 or any other recycling centre across the Borough.

Please note, Customers can only dispose of cardboard at the site; commercial waste won’t be accepted.

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:

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 2022/23

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:

Residual Duty of Care Organic Duty of Care Dry Recycling Duty of Care

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

HRC Cardboard Pass - Trade Waste

As a trade waste customer, you are entitled to access our household recycling centres across the Borough, to dispose of unwanted cardboard:

FREE HRC Cardboard Pass

You can also download an information sheet about relevant waste carriers licences.

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.