SITA forms partnership in Northern Ireland

Underpinning all our activity is a commitment to work with local partners to develop a more sustainable solution for managing waste

 
David Palmer-Jones, SITA UK

The alliance sees the firm, which is part of SITA UK, link-up with the Royal Bank of Scotland, Swiss EfW technology specialist Von Roll Inova, Portadown-based recycling firm Natural World Products (NWP) and Irish and Scottish construction giant Graham.

SITA is already the largest recycling and waste management company in Northern Ireland after last June completing the acquisition of Belfast-based waste firm Wilson Waste Management (see letsrecycle.com story) and believes the partnership will give it the ability to build and operate new waste management facilities, as well as “swiftly” closing the finance deals needed for these developments to happen.

The firm also claims that the new relationship will offer benefits when working with the local community, “exceeding” environmental standards, providing access to proven technical expertise and boosting Northern Ireland's economic development.

While there are currently no EfW or mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plants in Northern Ireland, in September 2008 the arc21 group of 11 of the province's councils began the tender process for treatment facilities valued at between £200 million and £500 million (see letsrecycle.com story).

Expertise

SITA UK's chief executive, David Palmer-Jones, claimed that the partnership would bring together the firm's expertise as part of its French parent company and its commitment to sustainable waste management on a local level.

“As part of the multinational Suez Environnment group we have permanent access to global technical expertise and cutting-edge technology proven in the EU and a track record of building, operating, and financing waste management facilities worldwide,” he said.

“Underpinning all our activity is a commitment to work with local partners to develop a more sustainable solution for managing waste. To achieve this aim in Northern Ireland we have teamed up with Graham and NWP, two leading companies who will strengthen our offer,” he added.

Natural World Products already has four facilities in the province and specialises in composting and recycling WEEE, while SITA described Graham as an “acknowledged leader” in Northern Ireland's construction and civil engineering sectors, with the company's turnover exceeding £200 million.

Mr Palmer-Jones said: “Through a financially sound and long term local partnership we can offer the best solutions suited to each community. Resource efficiency and developing the infrastructure from collection to treatment is at the heart of our strategy.”