Councillor Alan Barr condemns recycling failures as residents face weeks of missed bin collections

Inset: Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr

Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr has strongly criticised ongoing failures in Bryson Recycling’s kerbside collection service, warning that residents across Mid and East Antrim are being left frustrated and short-changed despite paying for a service that is “simply not being delivered”.

The councillor says he has been inundated with complaints from households reporting repeated missed collections, damaged bins and recycling boxes, and recyclable materials being left scattered along roadsides — particularly in rural areas.

Residents have described a service that appears inconsistent and unreliable, even where waste is being sorted correctly. Among the examples raised by Councillor Barr are cases where one household receives a regular collection while a neighbouring property is repeatedly missed.

One farm in Carnalbanagh, he said, has seen its bins left unemptied on several occasions while the adjoining property is collected as normal.

Elsewhere, a single home on a rural road reportedly went an entire month without a recycling collection, with Bryson attempting to attribute the failure to adverse weather conditions.

Concerns have also been raised about the treatment of kerbside bins, with residents reporting that containers are being thrown onto the ground and damaged. In other instances, spilled recyclable materials have been left on the roadside rather than being properly collected.

“These are not isolated incidents,” Councillor Barr said.

“This is a pattern of poor performance, and residents are rightly fed up.”

Council challenged over contractor performance

At a Mid and East Antrim Borough Council meeting on 12 January, Councillor Barr formally challenged council officers on what action was being taken to address the situation.

“Given the recent issues with Bryson regarding missed recycling collections, what actions can be taken by MEABC to ensure that Bryson rectifies this situation?” he asked.

Council officers confirmed that they have been meeting with Bryson since October following a rise in the number of missed collection rounds. Bryson has cited high sickness levels among staff and a nationwide shortage of drivers as the main causes of the disruption.

However, officers also confirmed that the contract includes a Performance Management System, under which financial deductions can be applied for service failures — including missed collections not completed within 24 hours.

Fines have already been imposed, and Bryson has been required to submit a formal Recovery Plan.

Recovery plan and monitoring measures

According to council officers, Bryson’s Recovery Plan includes additional crews working nights and weekends to clear missed collections within 24 hours, the redeployment of licensed staff to driving duties, and a full review of recruitment and retention practices.

Monitoring teams are also being deployed across the borough to check box returns, litter issues, assisted lifts, and watchlist properties. All crews are to be retrained on customer service, litter management, and service standards, with disciplinary action to follow where standards are not met.

Officers told councillors they expect to see “significant improvements” in the coming months and said Bryson’s performance will continue to be closely monitored.

“Residents deserve better”

For many residents, the issue is about more than missed bins. Councillor Barr says it reflects a breakdown in trust between ratepayers and a service they fund.

“Residents deserve a reliable, professional recycling service — not excuses,” he said.

“Ratepayers are footing the bill for this contract, and they are entitled to expect better. I will continue to hold Bryson and the Council to account until service levels meet the standard our community deserves.”