The service is a partnership between councils, the Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland. Yesterday (October 7), the parties issued a prior information notice via the Public Tenders Scotland website, seeking interest from buyers.
According to the notice, contracts will be issued for separately collected mixed glass as well as coloured glass collected separately (amber, clear and green) and will last between seven to ten years. Contracts are expected to be in place by July 2016.
The Brokerage Service is also expected to issue contracts for dry mixed recycling and residual waste treatment in the coming months, as well as other single stream recyclables like cans and plastic bottles.
Lead by the Scottish Government’s procurement team, the idea behind the contract is to pool the resources of each of the country’s 32 authorities to help them achieve greater economies of scale when securing contracts.
All 32 of the councils in Scotland are listed as participating in the brokerage within the contract notice, alongside public bodies including NHS Scotland, the Scottish Prisons Service and the Crown Office.
Commenting on the move, Scottish Government Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “High quality recycling is a key element of delivering our ambitions for a circular economy in Scotland and our unique Brokerage Service is a vital part of achieving that. By working together with councils we can help to develop markets for recycled materials here in Scotland.
“Glass recycling is a natural starting point for this service. It provides Scotland with a great opportunity to create jobs in the circular economy, by supplying recycled glass back into packaging for our iconic Scotch whisky industry, as well as to other innovative Scottish companies.”
Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, added: “Zero Waste Scotland provides technical advice to the Brokerage Service and we have advised on procurement options for glass. Glass has properties that make it an ideal focus for high-quality recycling in Scotland, as it can be indefinitely recycled without significant loss of quality, as well as supporting indigenous industries here in Scotland. This is an important step forward and the first of a number of contracts through the Brokerage Service that will support Scotland’s ambitions for a circular economy.”
Charter
Launch of the brokerage service heralds a new era of cooperation amongst Scotland’s local authorities, with the announcement yesterday that senior councillors working with the Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have agreed on the terms of a Household Recycling Charter.
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The charter is a commitment to establish common collection systems for paper, card, glass, plastics, metal and food waste, as well as ensuring that all residents have access to services – which will now be promoted by COSLA for adoption by councils.
Cllr Stephen Hagan, COSLA Spokesperson for Development, Economy and Sustainability said “Local government is firmly committed to playing its part in promoting the Circular Economy due to its potential to create jobs and economic development opportunities throughout Scotland. The Charter, by creating a framework for greater consistency of waste collections, will make it easier for people to recycle and also, I believe, improve public services, deliver value-for-money and promote local development and investment.
“I welcome the support of council leaders, who have all agreed to consider signing the Charter, and to endorse the development of the associated Code of Practice. If, by changing our collection systems when they are up for renewal over the next decade we can help to promote and support the Circular Economy then that, to me, is councils talking and acting with common sense.”
Harmonisation of waste services has found its way onto the political agenda in England, with Defra minister Rory Stewart revealing that he is keen to end the ‘madness’ of the country’s disparate recycling regimes (see letsrecycle.com story).
Are joint contracts an effective way to provide recycling services for local authorities? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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