Councillor Annie O’Lone backs kerbside box rollout despite blue bin backlash in wider Antrim area

Inset: Sinn Féin Dunsilly Councillor Annie O’Lone (Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council), the new triple-stack wheelie boxes, and smaller 180L black wheelie bins being introduced into the borough.

Sinn Féin Dunsilly Councillor Annie O’Lone has praised the benefits of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s new triple-stack wheelie boxes, saying she is “really looking forward” to the rollout — despite growing public frustration over the loss of blue recycling bins.

Speaking after visiting Neillsbrook Community Centre today (Wednesday 13 August) to view the new kerbside recycling system, Cllr O’Lone said she was impressed by its design and environmental potential.

“I am personally really looking forward to being able to recycle glass from home! These new stacks have so many benefits including a lockable lid, weekly collection and a great sturdy handle and trolley — and that’s without getting into the increase in recycling capability and the ability for the council to now process more recyclable waste locally,” she said.

The wheelie boxes — a wheeled trolley holding three stacked containers for different materials — will be introduced in Antrim, Randalstown, Crumlin, Templepatrick and Toomebridge from 15 September.

They will replace the 240-litre blue wheelie bins currently used for recyclables.

Households will also receive a smaller 180-litre black bin for general waste, collected fortnightly, while brown bin collections for food and garden waste will remain unchanged.

Public information sessions are being held throughout August to allow residents to see the new boxes and ask questions, with council staff returning to Neillsbrook Community Centre from 5–7pm this evening.

While Antrim and Newtownabbey Council says the change will improve recycling quality, increase the range of materials collected, and allow glass to be recycled from home, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from some residents.

Many have voiced frustration on social media over losing the blue bins — especially as neighbouring Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is taking the opposite approach.

Planning to be introduced in 2026, Mid and East Antrim residents will receive a 240-litre blue wheelie bin for all recyclables, including glass, alongside a 240-litre black wheelie bin for general waste.

The move there is intended to boost recycling rates and simplify the process for households by removing kerbside boxes entirely.

Antrim and Newtownabbey was the first local authority in Northern Ireland to introduce the triple-stack system, launching it in Newtownabbey in 2016.

The council insists it has been “working very successfully” for the 37,000 households already using it and says expanding it borough-wide will help “reduce contamination and produce higher-quality materials for reprocessing”.

As part of the switchover, all existing blue and black bins will be emptied, removed, and taken for “reuse or recycling”.