The contract is due to run from 16 May 2019 through to 30 September 2027, and was initially listed as being worth up to £70 million over its lifespan.
In signing the deal FCC continues its long-standing relationship with the county council, having held the previous Suffolk HWRC contract which began in May 2010. During this time the council closed a total of seven HWRCs, as a result of increasing budgetary pressure (see letsrecycle.com story).
The 11 remaining sites at Bury, Felixstowe, Foxhall, Hadleigh, Haverhill, Ipswich, Leiston, Lowestoft, Mildenhall, Stowmarket and Sudbury accept household waste free of charge, but charges are levied on materials such as hardcore, rubble, soil and plasterboard, starting from £2 per item. The sites also operate a chargeable service for trade waste.
Re-use
FCC also operates a ‘re-use shop’ at the Foxhall HWRC – which sells refurbished items including bikes, furniture and electrical goods that would have otherwise been thrown away. Through the new contract, the council is hoping to place a greater emphasis on re-use, with plans for a second re-use shop at the Bury site later in 2019.
It is also seeking to implement a greater use of technology on all sites, to speed up customer throughput times and support tackling trade waste abuse, as well as wider site improvements.
Commenting on the new contract, Cllr Paul West, Suffolk county council’s cabinet member for waste, said: “This is a high-profile service with over 1.5 million users each year across the 11 sites.
“We are delighted to once again be working with FCC Environment, who have demonstrated they have the experience and ambition to deliver against our targets and work in partnership with us to provide an excellent service for residents throughout the county.”
FCC Environment describes itself as the leading operator of HWRC, managing a total of 87 sites, handling a reported 1.6 million tonnes of waste per year.
The company’s regional director Steve Longdon, said: “We are excited to be continuing our relationship with Suffolk County Council and we look forward to delivering a wider re-use offering, enhancing on-site technology to improve the user experience and implementing a raft of meaningful site improvements whilst reducing costs across the board.”
Related Links
Suffolk county council
FCC Environment
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