West Berkshire is tendering for a 25-year “totally integrated” waste management contract, which has been pledged 28.49 million in Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
” This is very much a recycling-based contract and one of the targets included will be to reach a recycling rate of 56%“
– Andrew Deacon
The contract will cover the collection of municipal waste including kerbside recycling and composting schemes. It will also include street cleaning, residual waste disposal and treatment, and civic amenity site management as well as public waste awareness activities. It is thought the full contract value will be as much as 500 million.
West Berkshire was originally awarded 23.74 million in PFI credits but Defra agreed 4.7 million in additional credits towards the end of last year, in recognition of the various cost changes that have affected the PFI project.
West Berkshire is now at the invitation to negotiate stage, with the four shortlisted companies given until April 1 to send their proposals to the council. A preferred bidder is expected to be announced towards the end of the year with the contract to be awarded in March 2006. Under the current timetable, the contract is expected to start in April 2006.
Target
Andrew Deacon, waste and PFI project manager for West Berkshire said: “This is very much a recycling-based contract, and one of the targets included will be to reach a recycling rate of 56%.”
The council has also said that it would not rule out the use of new technologies to dispose of its waste. Mr Deacon said: “This is a recycling and composting based contract, but there will always be a residual element and we are keeping our options open. If companies want to talk about MBT, energy recovery or incineration we don't want to limit ourselves.”
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The council currently has a recycling rate of 17%, with residents producing around 55,000 tonnes of waste per year. West Berkshire's refuse collection and kerbside collection is currently run by Biffa, while its landfill needs are handled by WRG.
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