The unitary council yesterday named New Earth Solutions, operators of a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant near Poole, Dorset, as preferred bidder for a five-year disposal contract beginning at the end of this month.
 New Earth's MBT plant, near Poole |
After final details are agreed, the contract is expected to be signed on August 28.
The contract will have three optional year-long extensions after the initial five years, to provide flexibility until a new solution is found. Bournemouth is then hoping to develop a long-term contract from 2012, which could also involve a partnership with Dorset county council.
New Earth
The decision over the 7.5 million contract was made after New Earth completed three years of successful trials using its system to treat Bournemouth's waste.
The plant has a capacity to process about 50,000 tonnes of mixed waste each year, with trials showing that it can divert 90% of mixed residual household waste from landfill over an eight-week period.
The New Earth process involves a combination of physical separation processes and composting techniques, and could reduce the biodegradable content of the material by up to 95% according to the independent tests (see letsrecycle.com story).
Under the contract, New Earth will treat residual waste from the whole of Bournemouth and also take green and hazardous waste from the city's civic amenity sites. Other material separated for recycling is not part of the contract and is taken to a transfer station run by Viridor Waste Management. However, material from green waste collections may be added to the MBT contract in future.
“Innovative”
Roy Osborough, strategic waste manager for Bournemouth, told letsrecycle.com that the high diversion rates were the main reason why New Earth was chosen ahead of rival bidders Viridor, Veolia Environmental Services and SITA for the contract.
”Other local authorities interested in MBT can now talk to Bournemouth for a reference. “
– Peter Mills, New Earth Solutions
“New Earth Solutions has an innovative diversion solution that doesn't rely exclusively on landfill,” he said. “It gives the council an opportunity to reduce its Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme burden, as was set out in the contract requirements.”
Mr Osborough explained that Bournemouth, which currently sends it waste to landfill, could not afford increasing Landfill Tax and potential penalties under Defra's Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme.
He said: “We had to consider the contracts over their whole life cycle, to find the best value overall.”
The borough's strategic waste manager added that a further reason for choosing New Earth was that its plant is close to Bournemouth, and could be easily reached by Bournemouth’s in-house refuse collection trucks. He said: “It's a local company so we're not required to transfer our waste vast distances.”
Mobilise
Responding to the award of preferred bidder status, New Earth contracts director Peter Mills said: “We're delighted and keen to start immediate landfill diversion for Bournemouth borough council. We can mobilise very quickly and can ensure that Bournemouth council meets its 2010 landfill diversion targets and hopefully beyond.”
Mr Mills explained that the Poole facility was already tailored to meet Bournemouth’s needs.
He said: “As Bournemouth's been sending us black bag waste we've been able to adjust our MBT process to optimise our recycling and diversion from landfill.”
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Mr Mills added that the end product of New Earth's MBT system – a low-grade compost – could be used for highway maintenance and the restoration of landfills and brownfield sites. “We do have some restoration contracts,” he revealed, “but cannot comment further at this stage.”
The New Earth contracts director was particularly hopeful that the Bournemouth contract might spur other local authorities into considering MBT. “You need a contract to show something is working,” he said. “Other local authorities interested in MBT can now talk to Bournemouth for a reference.”
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