Eight from UK and Continent contend for rubbish work
Jan 23 2009 by Graeme King, The Journal
A SHORTLIST of eight companies has been announced for a huge contract to treat and dispose of waste for three North East councils.
The South Tyne and Wear Waste Management Partnership has announced the companies that will compete to work in Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland.
The three authorities are working together to double recycling to half of all waste by 2020 and develop a plant to treat 200,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) a year.
After 12 pre-qualification responses, the eight firms chosen to go forward to the next stage of the tender are: Graphite Resources, of Gateshead; MVV Umwelt from Mannheim in Germany; Shanks, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire; Sita UK, from Maidenhead in Berkshire; United Utilities Networks, of Warrington in Cheshire; Urbaser, from Madrid, Spain; Veolia, from East Sussex; and VT Environmental, Southampton.
Defra granted the partnership £73.5m of PFI funding last July to go towards development of a treatment works for the South Tyne and Wear area. Gateshead Council group director of local environmental services John Robinson is leading the waste management partnership. He said: “We are extremely pleased with the high level of interest in the contract from a range of national and international leading waste specialists.
“We will consider all types of treatment technologies and are confident that this approach will achieve the best value solution for our residents. We need to get more value out of our rubbish, rather than just disposing of it. We are committed to doubling our recycling rates to 50% by 2020, as an absolute minimum.
“We then have to treat the rubbish that’s left – it’s up to us to find the best solution.”
The eight bidders are now expected to return their outline proposals by April, with the winning operator to be announced by 2011, and the treatment plant is due to open by 2014.
