The council took over the site in Heathfield, Ayr, on Thursday, 9 March, but the value of the deal has not been disclosed.
Around 8,000 tonnes of waste per year is handled at the Ayr-based site, which the council says is “crucial” to its waste recycling targets.
The site was closed on Thursday and Friday before reopening the following day.
Councillor Martin Kilbride, buildings, housing and environment portfolio holder for South Ayrshire council said: “This is an important intervention by the council and key to our ongoing waste strategy. Staff at the site have been transferred over to the Council so there are no redundancies.
“It was important to us to limit the impact on residents; however the short closure is essential to allow us to update systems, change signage, and make sure the site is ready.”
As part of a business review we have sold the HWRC and transfer station
- Chris Edwards, Barr Environmental
Ownership
“Normal service” at the HWRC began on Saturday, 11 March.
Chris Edwards, Barr Environmental’s operations director, said: “As part of a business review we have sold the HWRC and Waste Transfer Station to South Ayrshire Council. We are working closely with them to ensure the smooth transfer of people and systems to allow for the sites to be open to the public again as soon as possible.”
Contract
Barr Environmental won a six-year contract with the council in 2017 for the provision and operation of the HWRC, which was due to expire this month. This was valued at £4.4 million. The deal marks the bringing of the contract in-house.
Barr Environmental also previously held a contract to treat and dispose of residual waste with South Ayrshire, but this was awarded to Enva in 2022 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Barr Environmental was at the centre of a tax dispute with Revenue Scotland. The company successfully appealed a ruling which found it liable for £99m last year (see letsrecycle.com story).
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