Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) has announced plans to align waste and recycling collection, disposal and vehicle procurement arrangements by March 2020.
According to the Partnership, operating under three unified contracts will help to drive recycling rates from 53% to 60%, and cut waste costs by “many millions of pounds.”
SWP and waste collections contractor Kier have jointly agreed to end their current contract 18 months early
To accelerate progress, the partnership and its waste collections contractor Kier have jointly agreed to end their current contract 18 months early, on 27 March 2020.
This agreement triggers a procurement process for kerbside collection services covering Somerset’s 256,000 households, with a Prior Information Notice due to be published on Monday (20 November).
“Recycle More”
This will be predicated on delivering the new “Recycle More” long-term kerbside waste collections contract, with extra recycling materials taken every week and three-weekly rubbish collections.
Councils within SWP voted in favour of the scheme last year (see letsrecycle.com story). “Recycle More” will see residents in Mendip, Sedgemoor, South Somerset, Taunton Deane and West Somerset district councils switch from a fortnightly to three-weekly collection.
SWP said a phased introduction of “Recycle More” – starting in 2020 – will align it closely with Somerset’s switch from reliance on landfill to generating energy from waste at a facility being built in Avonmouth by contractor Viridor.
Viridor’s 252million Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) will burn up to 320,000 tonnes of waste per year, and is expected to take up to 35% of its feedstock from councils within the SWP. (see letsrecycle.com story)
SWP
SWP manages waste and recycling services for all local authorities in Somerset, including a network of recycling centres and community recycling sites throughout the county, and kerbside collections of recycling and refuse.
The partnership is accountable to the Somerset Waste Board (SWB), whose 12 councillors – two from each partner authority – take all major decisions, including the timing of changes and contracts.
Chair of SWB Cllr Derek Yeomans said: “Our services are a vital provision for every household; these coordinated changes will improve services for all residents in Somerset and are designed both to raise recycling rates and to ensure very significant economies of scale.”
SWP managing director, Mickey Green said: “This is a time to take major steps forward, improving services for Somerset residents, while also saving them money and improving the environment.
“Our services are a vital provision for every household; these coordinated changes will improve services for all residents in Somerset and are designed both to raise recycling rates and to ensure very significant economies of scale.”
Derek Yeomans
Somerset Waste Board
“Aligning the timetable for investment, services and disposal ensures the maximum efficiency, greatest savings and the best possible waste solution for Somerset. It is a crucial part of our plan to support people in Somerset to waste far less and recycle even more.”
Kier
Julian Tranter, managing director, Kier environmental services, commented: “We’re extremely proud of our work with Somerset Waste Partnership, where we’ve seen an increase in recycling to over 50%, and helped implement some industry firsts, such as tracking every tonne of recycling to establish an annual register of what it all becomes.
“To allow SWP to implement its ‘Recycle More’ strategy and invest in new vehicles, Kier and SWP have mutually agreed to end the contract with effect from 27 March 2020. We continue to work closely together to provide a high-quality service for residents and stability for our teams during this time.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
