London borough signs multi-million pound contract with SITA

The 16-year contract will have a total annual value of just over 12 million, starting from April 2005.

SITA, which already runs the borough's recycling contract and refuse collection service, says it will put out over 100 refuse collection operatives in to the borough every week day under the new contract.

As part of the contract, both parties have signed up to a Partnership Charter which is currently being finalised. This includes an agreement for SITA UK to provide 50,000 a year to support various new services, including some in the recycling area.

SITA will continue to collect mixed recycling material from all residential properties with small bins or sacks twice weekly, or provide a centralised container for recycling on estates and in mansion blocks for residents with communal waste systems. Along with this, street sweepers are required to segregate recyclable street litter.

Working closely

The new contract specification builds on this and will require SITA to work more closely with the council to increase its household recycling rate by employing a waste reduction and recycling manager. Staff training will also be improved to try to enable staff to be proactive in reporting residents who are not recycling or are contaminating recycling.

A permanent garden waste recycling collection scheme has been added along with an additional vehicle to collect from the expanding number of recycling containers.

Marek Gordon, SITA's chief operating officer for collection, said he was pleased that the council had chosen to continue working with SITA. He added that the company was looking forward to developing the partnership further and helping the borough with its recycling rate, which currently stands at 16.5% for 2003/04.

“Kensington and Chelsea, like all other councils, has some tough recycling and recovery targets to achieve. It is very much our job to ensure that the council achieves these and makes improvements to the borough that will ensure that it remains a clean and pleasant place to live and work,” said Mr Gordon.