Cory and Shanks in running for Gloucestershire PFI contract

It is thought the 25-year contract could be worth between 700 and 800 million, with 25 million provided by the government through the PFI scheme.

The two companies are set to submit their detailed applications for the contract early in 2005. Gloucestershire will make a decision on a preferred bidder in May 2005, with the contract expected to begin in April 2006.

Commenting on the contract bid, Shanks municipal projects business development director Nigel Aitchison said: “Shanks views the Gloucestershire PFI Integrated Waste Management contract as a good opportunity to expand its PFI portfolio and is working hard to develop a deliverable and sustainable solution for the county, its member districts and their residents.

“This will require the development of new infrastructure which will be subject to the full planning process, including public consultation,” he added.

Cory is the incumbent waste management contractor, having operated the existing Gloucestershire contract since 2002, which will end on March 31, 2006. The waste management company launched the second phase of its stakeholder consultation process for two new facilities at Wingmoor this week. Cory believes that should it be successful these two sites will probably play an important part of the contract.

Adrian Judge, general manager at Cory told letsrecycle.com: “If Cory wins the Gloucestershire contract we believe the two new sites would probably form part of a long term solution for the county. If we are unsuccessful we will look at the commercial implications and if it is still viable we will still go ahead with the facilities.”

MBT
Cory has published an environmental impact assessment scoping report for its proposal to construct a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant at its Wingmoor site. The plant would have a capacity to treat 125,000 tonnes of residual waste a year at a “recovery park” that would also house an anaerobic digestion plant to process 35,000 tonnes of organic waste a year.

Chris Farmer, planning manager at Cory, said: “Co-locating the plants adjacent to our existing landfill operation creates a truly integrated waste management facility and maximises the use of existing infrastructure.

“The new technology sites are going to produce some residual waste and this still needs to be dealt with, we need not haul it back out onto the highway to take to landfill so we are cutting down on vehicle movement and costs,” he added.

If Shanks wins the Gloucestershire contract, mechanical biological treatment is likely to be an option it will use to divert material away from landfill. Shanks is already working with Italian technology firm Ecodeco on MBT projects in East London, Milton Keynes and Dumfries & Galloway.