The remaining two contenders have now been invited to submit finalised bids by February 2008, with the contract to start in 2010.
Details on which technology is to be used is still under wraps while negotiations take place and the county council has said it is keeping an open mind as to what will be considered.
The county's waste strategy document which was put out for consultation last year, put forward the case for and against a range of treatment processes. This included mechanical biological treatment, incineration and in-vessel composting (see letsrecycle.com story).
The councils are considering building two plants – one in the north and one in the south of the county – to process the estimated five million tonnes of waste sent to landfill each year.
Recycling
This should help divert waste from landfill and increase recycling rates. The county council presently operates six household waste recycling centres for materials including wood, oil, green waste, plastics, cans, paper and cardboard.
Derby City Council operates alternate weekly waste collections for “a large proportion” of householders and provides kerbside collections for green waste, glass, cans, plastic bottles and newspapers.
Derbyshire's recycling rate for 2005/06 – the most recently audited – was 26.7%. This was above its government-set target of 18% while Derby's rate of 26.4% was below its 30% target.
Derbyshire county council leader Councillor John Williams said: “These are long-term plans for dealing with the rubbish we all produce as part of our daily lives. We're still keeping an open mind about our preferred waste treatment options.
“We all want what's best for Derbyshire and its residents and we'll continue to keep people informed every step of the way,” he added.
The bidders
United Utilities operates mainly in the north west of England, where it owns and operates electricity, waste water and water networks.
It also has a waste management arm for treating liquid and solid substances including chemical and food wastes. This is processed at its centres in Cheshire and Gwent, Wales. The technology used includes anaerobic digestion, as well as biological treatment processes.
Waste management company WRG's services include energy-from-waste (EfW) plants in Eastcroft, near Nottingham, and Allington, Kent. It was purchased by Spanish construction and services group, Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) last year, just after it submitted a planning application for the Allington plant (see letsrecycle.com story).
An application to build an EfW plant near Hull was approved by Hull City Council and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council in December and January this year.
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