The contract worth an estimated £70 million over its lifespan, will see the contractor manage an estimated 250,000 tonnes of material from the sites each year. The new contract will begin in April 2016. The sites have been run by Hopkins Recycling Ltd since 2008.
As part of the changes to the HWRC services being brought in alongside the start of the contract, residents bringing materials not classed as household waste – including soil, rubble, plasterboard and asbestos – to the sites, will be charged a fee.
An extra service for small and medium size businesses to deposit their trade waste will also be introduced. Staff at the sites will be transferring into the employ of Veolia.
Estelle Brachlianoff, senior executive vice president of Veolia UK & Ireland, said: “Through our partnership with Hampshire county council we will be able to increase recycling across the county, and at the same time help control costs for residents. Hampshire already has one of the highest landfill diversion rates in the country and this agreement will now further boost local sustainability, preserve resources and limit future carbon emissions.”
Councillor Seán Woodward, executive member for economy, transport and environment at Hampshire county council, added: “Hampshire’s HWRC service is well regarded and well used by Hampshire’s residents. We are committed to providing quality and financially sustainable services for Hampshire’s residents and look forward to working with Veolia to maximise the effectiveness of our HWRC service.”
Contract
Veolia already carries out a vast array of recycling and waste services within the county, through its contract with Project Integra – the integrated body overseeing the management of waste on behalf of the 11 district and borough authorities within Hampshire, including the county council, Portsmouth and Southampton councils.
The county’s recycling performance was recently defended having been recorded at around 38% in 2014/15 (see letsrecycle.com story).
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