Waste contract FAQs

Shropshire Council's waste management contract

Some frequently asked questions

Background

In Shropshire we produce around 160,000 tonnes of rubbish every year – which amounts to well over one tonne per household. Most of this still goes into holes in the ground called landfill sites, but these are filling up fast and we are running out of space to bury our rubbish. Landfill is also regarded as the least environmentally friendly way to dispose of our waste. Furthermore councils, and hence taxpayers, could face fines if we continue to landfill to much rubbish.

Shropshire’s waste management contract

Between 2003-07 we carried out detailed negotiations with a variety of companies to find a solution to these problems. We ended up awarding a 27 year contract to Veolia Environmental Services Ltd (VES). We were awarded £40.8m of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits towards the cost of the contract.

This means that VES has taken on responsibility for collecting, recycling, and disposing of household waste on behalf of Shropshire Council. VES propose a capital investment of more than £100m in waste infrastructure over the period of the contract.

The main basis of the contract is that VES must reduce the amount of household waste that is sent to landfill, so that by 2020 they are landfilling only 35% of what was landfilled in1995 (as required by the EU Landfill Directive).

Their proposals to deliver this include:

(1) Increasing Shropshire’s recycling levels to more than 50 per cent by 2012.

(2) Introducing a kerbside plastic bottle recycling collection service across Shropshire starting in 2010.

(3) Construction of two new integrated waste management facilities in Oswestry and Bridgnorth which will include household waste recycling centres and waste transfer stations. (The Oswestry facility would be open by June 2009, and we are currently in the process of finding suitable land for construction of the Bridgnorth facility).

(4) Construction of an in-vessel composting facility, which will allow the treatment of all compostable wastes, including all food waste – turning it into valuable, peat-free compost whilst increasing landfill diversion. (A proposed site for the facility should be agreed shortly and the aim is to build in 2012).

(5) Construction of an Energy from Waste facility (EfW) at Battlefield Enterprise Park in Shrewsbury - this would produce electricity from residual waste. (Follow the link to the Energy from Waste facility FAQs for more information).

The construction of each of the proposed new facilities above would be subject to appropriate planning consents. Each would also need a permit to operate from the Environment Agency.

(c) Why Veolia Environmental Services?

We felt that VES offered the best solution to dealing with Shropshire’s waste in the most affordable and sustainable way. VES has a great deal of experience in this area.

Recycling and composting in Shropshire

(a) How are we doing?

In Shropshire we are recycling and composting more than ever before. In 2008/2009 we recycled or composted 48 per cent of your household waste – well above the government targets - and this figured is still rising. But we know we can – and must – do even more to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill sites.

(b) What is being done to increase recycling and composting levels in Shropshire?

Emphasis has been placed on providing residents with excellent recycling services and facilities. The kerbside recycling box collection service, now covers the whole of Shropshire and three new household recycling centres have opened in the past four years in Craven Arms (2003), Whitchurch (2004) and Shrewsbury (2005).

Through the new waste contract, Veolia are obliged to increase recycling rates to over 50 per cent by 2012. The new infrastructure they are building will help residents to have even better services and make sure less waste gets put into landfill sites.

Further information
We hope that the information on this page will help to answer any questions you may have. If you have any further questions, please email us by following the 'contact' link on this page.

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