The contract – which is worth £18 million a year – was announced last October and will last eight years.
Suez officially took over the contract on 5 April 2025 from waste management company Veolia which has held the contract for the past 9.5 years.
The new contractor will be responsible for all recycling and waste collections, along with street cleansing services and the operation of the council’s two household waste recycling centres (HWRC’s).
In Southend-on-Sea, collections for both recycling and waste are made weekly in sacks.
Ahead of the switch, the council said that collections will continue as usual, however a note on the council’s website said that collection times may be later while the new waste collection team “get used to the roads and routes”.
On 27 October 2025, collections will move to a wheelie bin system with the delivery of the new bins expected to start in August 2025.
Suez is currently in the process of surveying properties across the city to ensure they are suitable for wheelie bins.
Alongside the bins, residents can expect to see new Suez-branded refuse vehicles on the streets in the coming months.
Councillor Lydia Hyde, cabinet member for climate, environment and waste, said: “I’m pleased that Suez have now started their work with Southend-on-Sea, and look forward to working with them.
“I would like to also thank Veolia for their commitment and service to Southend-on-Sea over the last nine and a half years. Whilst residents can expect no immediate changes to their collections, we’re working closely with SUEZ behind the scenes to prepare for the start of the enhanced recycling scheme from 27 October.
“In the meantime, we want residents to continue with their current routine by presenting their recycling, food waste, and waste at the kerbside as usual.”
The Leigh Marshes HWRC will be closed for a refresh from 5 April 2025 to 12 April 2025. In the interim, residents have been asked to use the Stock Road HWRC.
The council told the BBC that Veolia’s staff have been given the opportunity to move over to Suez.
Until October, residents will continue to be provided with the following:
- Pink recycling sacks for household plastic packaging, glass bottles and jars and food and drink cans
- Blue paper and card box for all paper and card
- Blue food waste bin for all cooked and uncooked food waste
- Clear textile sacks for mixed textiles
- Black refuse sacks for all non-recyclable waste
Small electrical items can be put out for collection in a plastic shopping carrier bag.
Subscribe for free