EXCLUSIVE: Westminster city council and Paper Round have been confirmed as two preferred suppliers to look after commercial waste collections in part of the West End of London.
Westminster council’s part in the project will be delivered by Veolia as part of an existing seven-year waste collections contract.
This follows an earlier stage of the West End consolidation work involving an agreement with the New West End Company BID earlier this year. This saw First Mile, Paper Round and Westminster city council (Veolia) preferred as offering waste and recycling services to businesses in the New West End Company area.
Westminster city council Leader Nickie Aiken takes a waste vehicle for a spin
The latest project, led by the Heart of London Business Alliance (BID), aims to reduce the number of “inefficient commercial waste collectors” in the areas the BID covers – the Piccadilly and St James’s, and Leicester Square areas.
According to a Heart of London BID spokesperson, the project is one of the first of its kind and falls under the larger collaborative approach of the BID and its membership of the preferred supplier scheme, West End Buyers Club run by the Cross River Partnership.
The spokesperson said businesses will be encouraged to sign up with the preferred suppliers and BID will be taking steps to get businesses on board.
Some of these steps will include “recycling workshops for staff, re-signing internal bins, collecting waste from off the roadside and having building occupiers share the same waste collections and times. Both suppliers are also offering exclusive BID rates,” the spokesperson explained.
Selection
The BID has found that separate waste collectors add to “congestion and poor air quality, often using outdated fleets, and in addition adding to inconsistency in recycling performance”.
“Electric vehicles, hand deliveries and waste consolidation centres are just some of the innovative approaches we will use to help improve air quality for Heart of London.”
Bill Swan
Paper Round
In March, the BID released its ‘Deliveries and Waste Plan 2017 – 2021’ which put forward a number of measures to make a ‘significant reduction’ in deliveries. These included consolidation and reducing visibility of commercial waste and development of a preferred suppliers scheme.
According to the BID spokesperson, Westminster City Council and Paper Round were selected based upon eight criteria, including credibility, locality, sustainability, commercial viability and safety.
Commenting on the selection, Christina Wells, deliveries and wastes coordinator for BID, said: “Both suppliers recognise the need for separate materials where possible (particularly paper in an office environment) and showed exceptional detail in efficient routing and fleet management in relation to the BID area.
“Heart of London also recognises the added benefit to using the Council’s supplier given the bigger picture in relation to time banding and street cleansing links.”
Consolidation
According to one of the preferred suppliers, Paper Round, around 40 waste collectors currently visit the area. The company said the new scheme aims to reduce this to two suppliers and recycling will also be collected more efficiently by developing local consolidation centres.
Bill Swan, managing director of Paper Round, said: “Electric vehicles, hand deliveries and waste consolidation centres are just some of the innovative approaches we will use to help improve air quality for Heart of London.”
Above: One of Paper Round’s refuse collection vehicles
Westminster city council cabinet member for environment, sport and community, Cllr David Harvey said: “Westminster suffers from some of the worst air pollution in the country with road transport contributing to over 50% of the most harmful emissions.
“Westminster city council has an important role to play in ensuring waste collection is as environmentally friendly as possible and we are working in partnership with the Heart of London Business Alliance and Cross River Partnership to make a difference and cut pollution.
“This scheme will improve commercial waste collection, cutting out unnecessary journeys and as a result, vehicle emissions. It will also improve business recycling performance, material quality and the public realm whilst providing value for money waste management services to BID members.”
Heart of London
Heart of London Business Alliance represents 500 businesses and 100 property owners in the Piccadilly & St James’s and Leicester Square areas and supports the commercial wellbeing of the businesses and organisations.
New West End
The New West End Company created the West End Buyers Club which promotes the three preferred suppliers – First Mile, Westminster Council, and Paper Round. The West End Buyers Club has been set up by heart of London, New West End Company and Baker Street Quarter and is available to any business in the West End.
[Story updated 25 October 16:00]Related links
Heart of London Business Alliance
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
