Magherafelt Recycling Centre opens after £1.7m refurbishment works

The Council received a £945,898 grant from the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Household Waste Recycling Collaborative Change Programme to undertake the work.

The extensive investment at the recycling centre has transformed the facilities, enhancing the customer’s experience, and will increase both the quantity and quality of recyclable materials collected on the site, diverting an anticipated 2,000 tonnes of additional material from landfill.

Chair of the Council, Councillor Córa Corry said: "With these completed works, residents will have access to a bespoke state of the art recycling centre which will result in an increase in both the quantity and quality of recyclable materials collected on site. Health and safety at the site has also been enhanced through the segregation of site visitors from Council and contractor vehicles.”

Chair of the Council’s Environment Committee, Councillor Sean McGuigan added: “For the duration of the refurbishment works at Magherafelt Recycling centre, temporary facilities on the site meant that residents could continue to use the centre safely and to dispose of as wide a range of materials as possible. I would like to thank all residents and businesses in the district, particularly those in the Magherafelt area for their continued patience and understanding while the works were ongoing over the last number of months. It has definitely been worth it when you look at the fantastic new facility we now have as a result.”

Speaking at the official opening, Michael McCallion, Assistant Director of Environmental Policy at DAERA, said: “I am delighted to attend the official opening of Magherafelt Recycling Centre. DAERA provided grant funding of £945,898 towards this £1.7m redevelopment which is part of the Department’s Household Waste Recycling Collaborative Change Programme and will mean approximately 2,000 tonnes of waste will be diverted from landfill each year.

“The money will also help improve how waste is separated and the quality of materials collected, to support local processors and our circular economy. We will continue to look for ways to collaborate with local councils and other stakeholders to reduce emissions from the waste management sector, ensure recycling rates remain high and to see ways of increasing the economic value of recycling in the economy.”