The Scottish Government announced plans on 30 May to pilot zones managed by local authorities where contractors competed to undertake all commercial collections in a particular area (see letsrecycle.com story).
On 1 June, the Recycling Association, the trade association for UK recycling companies, warned the proposals could be “damaging” to the industry by removing competition (see letsrecycle.com story).
Today (7 June), Robin Stevenson, the managing director of Edinburgh-based waste management company Hamilton, said the proposals could “kill” competitive commercial waste collection services in Scotland and result in “hundreds if not thousands” of jobs being lost.
Mr Stevenson said: “Competition between service providers is the single most important factor in ensuring we provide value for money for Scottish businesses and means we must continue to develop and improve our services to seek competitive advantage and add value.
“To claim business waste collection zones could save businesses up to 40% is, quite frankly, ludicrous.”
He added: “It will also mean that all the investment being made by businesses such as ours to process these valuable resources will no longer be viable.
“This innovation is the foundation of the circular economy and losing it will see us take a huge backwards step.”
Consultation
The Scottish Government has launched a 12-week consultation on proposals for legislation to develop Scotland’s circular economy, including through the business waste collection zones, which closes on 22 August.
Mr Stevenson said Hamilton would engage with the consultation but also “welcome immediate and direct communication” with the Scottish Government to discuss the plans in more detail.
“In doing so, I am confident we can find a workable solution that will save jobs, protect investment and help achieve their ambition of ‘zero waste society with a circular economy’,” Mr Stevenson said.
Hamilton
Hamilton Waste & Recycling was incorporated in 2002 when the Hamilton family purchased the long-established firm Wm Finlayson & Sons.
With more than 110 employees, the company says it processes more than 87,000 tonnes of waste a year, diverting more than 99% of it from landfill.
Mr Stevenson said electric vehicles and other technological developments within Hamilton’s collection fleets “already minimise our environmental and social impact”. Hamilton saved more than 71,000 tonnes of carbon equivalents equivalent through managing customers’ waste, Mr Stevenson claims, while the emissions associated with collecting it totalled 921 tonnes.
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