David Palmer-Jones elected as new ESA chairman

The organisation, which represents the UKs waste management companies, announced that its board had approved the appointment on Friday (October 5).

Mr Palmer-Jones replaces the outgoing Chairman Jean-Dominique Mallet who was elected to the post in November 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story). Mr Mallet left the two-year post just under one year in, after taking up a position as senior vice president of Veolia Environmental Services at the companys Paris headquarters in August.

Mr Palmer-Jones was appointed as chief executive of SITA UK in September 2008, having worked for SITA Group in the UK, Sweden and France since 1989, and has sat on its board since 2006.

During his time as chief executive, the company has secured several long-term contracts, including a 1 billion PFI-funded residual waste contract with Suffolk county council in October 2010, and a 727 million residual waste treatment contract with Gateshead, South Tyne and Sunderland councils in April 2011.

Development

Mr Palmer-Jones has also overseen the development of the first facility in the UK to turn waste plastic into diesel fuel, which the company is planning to build at Avonmouth near Bristol (see letsrecycle.com story) and has championed the waste and recycling sector as a source of sustainable economic growth and job creation.

Commenting on his election to the post, Mr Palmer-Jones said: I am delighted to be taking over the chairmanship of the ESA at such an important time for our industry. As an 11bn industry investing in cleaner ways to turn Britains waste into resources, we can be a major source of the green growth and green jobs the country desperately needs.

The ESA has a vital role to play in helping the Government join up its thinking on waste and resources, so that our member companies have a clear policy framework against which to invest.

He also thanked Mr Mallet for his work as ESA chairman, saying that he had helped to raise the profile of the organisation during his time in the role.

I should also like to pay tribute to my predecessor, Jean-Dominique Mallet of Veolia Environmental Services, who was a tireless advocate for our industry in his time as chairman and helped raise ESAs profile, a task I will continue during my term of office.