The ‘uniform’ service would initially see East Devon, Mid Devon, West Devon and Teignbridge district and borough councils take up the disposal contract from April 2017.
But there is also provision for South Hams district council – which currently collects card within its mixed organic waste – and Exeter city council, which does not operate food waste collections, to join the contract at a later date.
Divided into two lots, the 10-year deal is worth an estimated £9-15 million with an option to extend for a further four years.
At present, organic waste is sent to three in-vessel composting (IVC) sites across the county, including the Heathfield facility which is operated by Viridor. However, a council spokesman told letsrecycle.com that Devon is now looking to separate collections across all councils to offset high gate fees at the IVC plants.
West and East Devon councils already collect food waste separately, while Teignbridge made the switch in August 2015 (see letsrecycle.com story) with Mid Devon following in December.
Lots
The first contract lot, which covers West Devon and Teignbridge councils, will see the potential bidder process an estimated 7,000 tonnes of food waste per year – with an additional 3,800 tonnes if South Hams enters into the contract from 2018/19.
The second lot refers to Mid Devon and East Devon councils and will see a potential bidder process around 9,000 tonnes of food waste per year.
If Exeter city council chooses to begin collecting food waste within the lifetime of the contract, an extra 4,700 tonnes could be generated. The council has previously blamed its relatively low recycling rate on a lack of food waste collections and is assessing options to introduce the service (see letsrecycle.com story).
While the contract is divided, the council is accepting bids for more than one lot – with a single supplier across both bringing opportunities for ‘additional savings’. Bidders are also expected to have achieved a minimum turnover of £500,000 during the past three years, or £1 million if applying to tender for both lots.
South Hams
South Hams district council has meanwhile awarded an interim two-year food waste disposal contract to Exeter-based Coastal Recycling Services Limited.
The contract, which will see Coastal Recycling treat an estimated 9,600 tonnes of mixed food and green waste and card per annum, will begin at the end of the council’s current arrangement with Viridor in March next year.
Commenting on the contract award, Steve Hadley, managing director of Coastal Recycling said, “We are delighted to have been chosen to support South Hams District Council to collect garden and food waste. This contract win is testament to our hard work and expertise in working with local authorities. By partnering with composting facility, Agrivert, we are able to transform the waste into PAS 100 standard compost. We very much look forward to delivering this service.”
Devon county council said: “We are looking at all our organic disposal contracts, one for garden waste, one for food waste, one for street sweepings and one for mixed food, green and card.
“In South Hams organic collections will continue to be mixed, and this an interim contract while they change their rounds. If Exeter also starts collecting food waste separately there is the potential to bring it into those contracts should the tenderers and Devon county council so wish.”
The county council added that more information about potential bidders would be provided by May 2016. Devon is also seeking a new contractor for its textile bank service – which is still out to tender (see letsrecycle.com story).
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