Under the new 25-year partnership, a Public Private Partnership, Viridor will be responsible for the development of new waste treatment facilities for Somerset.
” Wyvern Waste Services has been a very successful company under county council ownership “
– Cllr Cathy Bakewell
The deal will include Viridor's 25 million purchase of Wyvern Waste Services, a company set up by the council in 1992.
Somerset and Viridor will officially sign the contract tomorrow afternoon (May 16) at the Priorswood recycling centre in Taunton.
Once the contract begins Viridor will manager the county's 18 household waste recycling centres, compost food and garden waste, operate the council's three landfill sites and operate waste transfer stations for the council.
Key
Councillor Cathy Bakewell, leader of Somerset county council, said: “We want to retain our pre-eminent position among waste authorities in the UK and we see this partnership as key to that.
“Wyvern Waste Services has been a very successful company under county council ownership, but Viridor will bring added expertise and investment in new waste treatment facilities,” she added.
Viridor has said that the acquisition of Wyvern fits into its strategy of expanding its recycling, disposal and renewable power generation business in key regions of the UK.
Viridor already has an advanced knowledge of the area, having been based in Taunton since it began operation in 1956.
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Colin Drummond, chief executive of the Taunton-based company, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as Somerset's long term recycling and waste management partner.
“We will work closely with the county to provide high quality waste management services and increasing levels of recycling and recovery,” he added.
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