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Waste Management Contract Signed and Sealed

The Borough of Poole has agreed a long term contract with Viridor Waste Management , one of the country's leading waste and recycling companies, to manage the council's waste disposal operation until 2027.  The move will enable the authority to maintain the level of service provided through the blue bin scheme and open up new opportunities for recycling in general.

Viridor have supported the Council with their successful blue bin scheme since its inception two years ago disposing of the residual waste to landfill. The agreement will secure the scheme helping pave the way for the Council's long term aim of having their own recycling facility in Poole.

Having a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in the Borough will enable the Council to maintain the standard of the high quality recycled material and could potentially utilise transport links through Poole Port.  It will also be a much more cost effective way of handling recycled waste benefiting council tax payers in the long term and it is hoped that this vision will become a reality in approximately three years time.

Under the EU Landfill Directive being able to landfill without penalty is becoming more and more difficult with the Council incurring a potential cost of £150 per tonne each time they exceed their landfill targets set by Government.  Whilst the blue bin scheme helps to minimise the penalties, agreeing the contract with Viridor will also give the Council the option of disposing some of their residual waste at Viridor's Lakeside energy from waste plant in Slough (a joint venture project currently under construction), one of only a handful of such facilities in the country. 

Councillor Don Collier, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for the Environment said: "Over the last two years our Blue Bin Scheme has continued to go from strength to strength and we are now consistently meeting the Government's monthly statutory targets for recycling. Whilst this is fantastic news we are continually looking at ways of improving the efficiency of our recycling processes and having our own MRF is an exciting way forward. We are delighted to have secured this long term agreement with Viridor and look forward to continuing our positive working relationship".

John Cardwell, Viridor's Operations Director said: "We are pleased to be able to continue supporting the Borough of Poole both with their plans for their own recycling facility and helping them to meet their landfill diversion targets through the use of the Lakeside energy from waste plant.  These are certainly challenging and exciting times for waste management in Poole and across the UK".

Katharine Teed, Communications 01202 633295