Under the framework, which involves around 200,000 tonnes of residual waste a year, waste management firm FCC Waste Services will be responsible for treating the first 40,000 tonnes of waste generated.
MRWA will have the option to extend the deal with FCC after six months, or can choose to use one of the other two firms named on the framework, energy from waste specialist Energos or the Orchid Fairport Consortium comprised of Lancashire based waste firm Orchid Environment and Fairport Engineering.
The Authority expects that it will make savings of over 200,000 in the first 12 months of the temporary deal.
The interim waste management framework is set to run until the start of the Mersyside waste treatment PFI, for which a preferred bidder is expected to be announced in early 2013. The MRWA is currently examining bids from Covanta and SITA UK for the 25-year contract which is being procured on behalf of the Merseyside and Halton Waste Partnership.
Commitment
Carl Beer, Chief Executive, Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority said: The development of an Interim Waste Management Framework provides the Authority with an important opportunity to divert more waste that currently cannot be recycled, away from landfill ahead of the completion of the large Resource and Recovery Contract which will provide a longer term solution for resource management in Merseyside.
FCC operations director, Chris Ellis, said: We are really pleased to have won MRWAs framework contract as it continues our long-standing commercial relationship with the authority. We look forward to providing them with an effective and economic service for the treatment of waste that cannot be recycled.
The award of this contract helps FCC Environment to grow our operations in the North West of England, and demonstrates our continued commitment to extracting increasing value from waste that would previously have been sent to landfill for disposal.
Energos
The news comes alongside another positive development for Energos on Merseyside, after it was announced that the company had been awarded a full environmental permit to operate its proposed 96,000 tonne a year capacity gasification plant in Knowsley.
The facility, at Penryhyn Road, will treat non-hazardous mixed residual municipal, commercial and industrial waste and use the energy created to generate electricity. The facility will also be able to accept refuse derived fuel (RDF). It is expected to be completed in 2015.
Energos managing director, Nick Dawber, said: “This is an environmentally responsible, community sized energy from waste solution that will ensure the diversion of biodegradable material from landfill. Our facilities generate renewable energy and displace the use of fossil fuels.
“We are committed to working with the local community to provide a world class facility that can bring long-term environmental and employment benefits locally, and provide part of a much needed green waste infrastructure that the country desperately needs.”
Contract
The long term waste management contract is expected to involve capital investment in the region of 400 million, and is the second of two major waste contracts the MRWA has been procuring over the past few years, with a combined value of 3.3 billion.
Cllr Joe DeAsha, Chairperson, Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority said: The Authority is looking forward to improving recycling rates across Merseyside and convert the waste we throw away into a resource. We hope that residents across Merseyside will be part of this and will continue to improve their recycling habits.
Register for free to comment