Shanks renews Netherlands organic waste contract

Waste management firm Shanks has renewed a long-term contract to treat organic waste in five municipalities in the Netherlands.

Orgaworld, part of Shanks organics division, will process 25,000 tonnes of food, garden and other organic waste from Dronten, Flevoland, Noordoostpolder, Urk and Almere.

Under the contract, Orgaworld will treat the waste at its 85,000 tonnes-per-year capacity Biocel anaerobic digestion plant in Lelystad, in the province Flevoland, converting it into biogas for renewable energy generation and compost for agricultural applications.

Biocel – the dry anaerobic technology installed at the plant – enables Orgaworld to convert waste into biogas in an oxygen-free environment, while also allowing it to generate heat in a combined heat and power (CHP) unit.

The facility is also capable of recycling nappies as part of the organics waste stream a unique service which played a role in renewing the contract.

From every tonne of waste that is accepted at the facility, around 35-40% is transformed into high-grade compost, while between 1-2% of the material received cannot be recycled.
In addition, Shanks owns and operates a 75,000 tonnes-per-year capacity in-vessel composting plant at the Lelystad site.

The deal will see Shanks continue to provide organic waste disposal services in the five municipalities for the next four years, with an option to extend the contract for a further four years to 2022.

Agreement

Henk Kaskens, managing director of Shanks organics division, said: Having enjoyed a 20-year relationship with the municipalities, we were delighted to reach a new agreement to continue our record of providing green solutions to our customers for the coming years.

Our solution enables the municipalities to make more from their waste by turning it into renewable energy and organic fertiliser.

Shanks has become a longstanding player in the Dutch organics market, which is relatively mature compared to the UK. According to figures for 2013/14, Shanks generated 44.4 million (35.4 million) in revenue from its organics operations in the Netherlands, with a trading profit of 5.5 million (4.3 million).

Shanks has said the organics waste sector in the UK is presently one of expansion, but the firm recently reported a surge in food waste delivered to its 150,000 tonnes-per-year capacity Cumbernauld AD plant following the introduction of new waste regulations in Scotland (see letsrecycle.com story).