Firms awarded short-term Bucks biowaste contracts

The agreement will see Countrystyle receive an estimated 30,000 tonnes of mixed food and green waste from three of the four Buckinghamshire district councils, to be treated at the firms Ridham in-vessel composting (IVC) facility in Kent or at its open widrow plant in Hampshire.

Some 10,000 tonnes of the food waste will also be sent to Agrivert to be treated at its anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Outputs include an organic bio-fertiliser produced to PAS110 standards, an accreditation the facility received in June (see letsrecycle story).

The 12 month contract, which could potentially be extended to a total of 36 months, will allow the county council to obtain appropriate treatment solutions for its separate food and green waste collections, currently being rolled out by the district councils.

Chiltern district council was the first to launch the initiative, unveiling a separate service on July 15. Wycombe district council is due to follow this autumn, and South Bucks will commence its separation of food waste in February 2014. The county hopes to recycle over 60% of waste arisings by 2025.

Lesley Clarke, Buckinghamshire county councils cabinet member for environment, welcomed the move as a cost effective and sustainable solution to food waste management.

Harry Waters, Agriverts commercial director said: We are delighted to be working with Buckinghamshire County Council, and we are pleased that the food waste collection service has got off to a successful start. We have been impressed with the roll out which seems to have worked like clockwork.

Effective

Countrystyle commercial director Chris Howard added: This is a great honour for us and demonstrates our continued ability to provide professional, reliable and cost effective biowaste treatment solutions for local authorities.

Established in 1994, Agrivert was founded in response to the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. The company currently operates two 50,000 tonne capacity AD plants in Wallingford and Cassington, with a third to be constructed in Surrey. As of this year, it provides services to 22 local authorities after signing a contract with South Northamptonshire.

Countrystyle was formed in 1996 to develop recycling for commercial and domestic green waste, before expanding into collection services, skip hire and two waste transfer stations. In 2012, the company transferred its management and development rights of four AD plants to Tamar Energy.