South Yorkshire waste partnership on the cards

However, the “zero waste” policy adopted by Doncaster is proving to be a stumbling block.

” We are looking at MBT and energy from waste solutions, which may not fit with Doncaster's waste policies. “
– Geoff Birkett, Barnsley MBC
Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham metropolitan borough councils have expressed an interest to Defra for Private Finance Initiative funding towards some new treatment option to divert waste away from landfill.

The three authorities have been looking into energy-from-waste and mechanical biological treatment systems as possible options.

A relationship already exists between the three councils, who have a joint contract for their household waste recycling centres. They have in the past also worked together through a joint waste disposal contract.

Geoff Birkett, executive director for environmental services in Barnsley, told letsrecycle.com: “Our leaders meet regularly and we have shared contracts in the past, with that sort of background it makes sense to look at other ways we can work together.”

PFI
As well as various discussions between themselves, the council have also talked to the government's Public Private Partnership Programme to look at possible PFI waste contracts. The authorities have also begun the search for possible sites for a waste treatment facility in each of three boroughs.

Barnsley council is currently consulting with its residents on a Municipal Waste Strategy for 2006-2030 and has suggested its plans to work with its neighbours in this report.

Mr Birkett said the three authorities have current disposal contracts that all come to a close in late summer 2008, and that this could provide a start date for a new joint contract.

In total the three councils are responsible for over 300,000 households, and all three are in the process of rolling out alternate weekly collections to each.

Another recycling option that is being discussed is the possibility of introducing separate food waste collections, and the councils' search for waste treatment sites includes the possibility of in-vessel composting facilities.

Zero waste
He said the significant stumbling block for the partnership at the moment may be Doncaster council's “zero waste” policy, which differs from the other two councils and could potentially cause friction.

Mr Birkett said: “We are looking at MBT and energy from waste solutions, which may not fit with Doncaster's waste policies. We are discussing at this point how that could work.”

Doncaster's zero waste policy has been led by Mayor Martin Winters, and aims to achieve a zero waste to landfill or incineration by 2025. The global “zero waste” movement is closely linked to anti-incineration groups.