Residents of Lisburn and Castlereagh who currently use a 240-litre residual waste bin will retain it under new collection arrangements confirmed by the council.

Those with a 180-litre bin will be able to switch to the larger size at no additional cost, a council spokesperson stated.

The policy harmonises waste collection across the district by ending the use of kerbie boxes in Castlereagh. Residents there have long separated recyclables into stacked caddies, but these will be replaced by wheelie bins.

Alderman Paul Porter described the decision as a reversal from earlier proposals that would have involved reducing bin sizes without resident consent. He said the outcome followed three and a half years of consultations and returned the authority to its original position.

Age NI chief executive Linda Robinson had raised concerns in 2023 that smaller bins could affect older people’s independence, prompting a public consultation exercise.

The council has also agreed to introduce larger co-mingled dry recycling bins. A rollout is scheduled to begin next year in areas including Four Winds, Carryduff, Newtownbreda and Castlereagh South. Councillor John Gallen noted that the SDLP had campaigned for this change for years.

Chairperson of the environment and sustainability committee, Owen Gawith, said the updated in-house service would make recycling simpler and more consistent across the area.

The ratification of co-mingled recycling bins had been delayed by a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs consultation process, which asked all 11 Northern Ireland councils to submit new policy options. DAERA has indicated a preference for greater separation of recyclables at collection, a position that differs from the council’s approved approach.