Urbaser will take on the east London borough’s waste and recycling and weed control services from Serco, as well as the current in-house street cleansing service.
The agreement will also include the green garden waste collection service, fly-tipping clearance, graffiti cleaning and the collection of clinical and bulky waste.
The contract will cost £90 million across the eight years, with the option of a further eight-year extension at a cost of £180 million in total.
Javier Peiro, Urbaser UK’s managing director, said the company was thrilled to have been awarded the contract. “We look forward to building a long and prosperous relationship with Havering council by providing an innovative and sustainable service that delivers significant social value and environmental benefits.”
Mr Peiro added: “Urbaser is excited to build upon our experience operating in London and the south-east of England. This will enhance the existing services provided across the London boroughs whilst meeting all Havering residents’ expectations.”
The council says the existing street cleansing staff, as well as those from Serco, will transfer to Urbaser at the start of the contract.
Services
Havering council says Urbaser will continue with weekly waste and recycling collections.
For the first time, Havering residents will be able to put glass and plastic pots, tubs and trays into the orange sacks in which their recycling is collected.
The deal will also see Urbaser roll out a new fleet of waste, recycling and street cleansing vehicles and equipment.
Twenty per cent of the vehicles and equipment will be powered by electricity. Carbon emissions generated by the non-electric vehicles will be offset using accredited carbon capture schemes in the UK, the council says. The local authority claims the contract will be net zero emissions as a result.
Continuity
Cllr Ray Morgon, Havering council’s leader, said the local authority was delighted to be working with Urbaser. He said: “We know that our waste and recycling service along with street cleaning are among the services most valued by our residents.
We want to work together with Urbaser Ltd to help encourage our residents to recycle more and be able to reduce waste
- Cllr Ray Morgon, Havering council’s leader
“It’s important that with this new contract, we provide continuity of the high level of service that residents have come to expect.
“We’re pleased to be offering the collection of glass and more items that residents can recycle.
“We want to work together with Urbaser Ltd to help encourage our residents to recycle more and be able to reduce waste, which in turn, will help the environment.”
Havering
Representing an estimated population of more than 255,000, Havering council had a household waste recycling rate of 34.7% in the 2020/21 financial year.
With the Serco deal expiring, the council opted to combine waste and recycling collections with street cleansing, road cleaning and weed control services under a single contract in July 2021 (see letsrecycle.com story). Serco had collected Havering’s waste and recycling since 2014.
Havering is one of the four collection authorities with makes up the East London Waste Authority, alongside Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Redbridge.
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