Veolia's bid for the £2 billion Essex waste PFI contract involves it working with the aggregates company behind controversial plans to build an 850,000 tonne-a-year capacity waste management facility at a site in the centre of the county, it has emerged.
While Veolia originally appeared on its own as one of the seven shortlisted bidders for the contract that was announced in March 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story), a document published by Essex county council earlier this year reveals that the waste company is actually bidding jointly with Herefordshire-based Gent Fairhead.
The plans involve the use of a range of technologies, including anaerobic digestion, mechanical biological treatment (MBT), a de-inking and pulping paper recycling facility, a materials recycling facility and a combined heat and power (CHP) plant.
A planning report on the proposals explains that, of the 853,500 tonnes of waste the site would deal with annually, the paper recycling facility would handle around 331,000 tonnes-a-year. And, the other parts of the facility would deal with 250,000 tonnes-a-year of municipal and/or commercial solid waste, 100,000 tonnes-a-year of mixed dry recyclables, or similar C&I waste, 85,000 tonnes-a-year of mixed organic waste and 85,000 tonnes-a-year of solid recovered fuel.
Opposition
The proposals have proved controversial with some local residents. Plans for the site were approved by Essex county council but then called in by the Planning Inspectorate, triggering a public inquiry that handed the final decision to Mr Denham.
And, James Abbott, a Green Party councillor on Braintree council, told letsrecycle.com shortly after the March 2010 approval was given that there was “massive opposition” to the proposals, highlighting concerns such as the transport impact of the plans, their being “highly geared” towards disposal and their impact on the county's recycling rate.
“It is the wrong plant in the wrong place and we will continue to fight it with every legal means available,” he said.
With Essex county council stating its opposition to “mass burn” incineration, the Gent Fairhead planning application for Rivenhall instead involves both municipal and commercial and industrial solid waste being treated using MBT to produce a solid recovered fuel which would then be burnt in the CHP plant to produce heat and electricity.
Bidders
The Essex county council document also reveals the involvement of additional companies in a number of the other bids to appear on the initial seven bidder shortlist.
These include the involvement of Catalyst Lend Lease, part of Australian property group Lend Lease, in Shanks Group's bid, while equity investors John Laing Investments and engineering company Laing O'Rourke in United Utilities tender.
And, the investment arm of infrastructure services firm Balfour Beatty, Balfour Beatty Capital Ltd, is involved in Spanish waste company Urbaser SA's bid.
All the seven bidders were expected to submit outline proposals for the contract by mid-May, with the council aiming to name a preferred bidder for the deal in October 2011 and to have the new facilities being delivered under the contract up and running in late 2014.
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