The contract would see WRG deal with all 100,000 tonnes of Luton's waste every year, through transfer stations, and CA sites. It would also require WRG to build a composting facility to serve the Bedfordshire town.
The company's commercial director Chris Cox said: “This contract will represent a substantial development of the Group's business in the northern Home Counties and it underlines our ability to offer a range of affordable waste management services. We very much look forward to assisting Luton borough council in meeting their Best Value recycling obligations.”
The contract is due to be awarded and come into force in February 2004. It will replace three separate contracts running currently in the city. These are divided into: operation of a waste transfer station at the Kingsway depot; operation of a household waste and recycling centre; and bulking up residual waste for onward disposal to landfill at Kingsway.
A council in-house team carries out Luton's recycling and residual waste collections in the area. The successful contractor will take in this material as delivered by council teams.
If successful, WRG's responsibilities will include:
- Redeveloping the council's household waste transfer station;
- Providing a composting facility in Luton and distributing more brown bins for garden waste;
- Redeveloping the Eaton Green Road CA site and developing a new site on Progress Way;
- Funding an education officer to help with education and waste awareness programmes and providing an education facility at Kingsway;
- Disposing of household rubbish to landfill sites.
Luton's recycling rate in 2001/02 was 11%. The council's head of waste management Mick Wright said: “We welcome this move forward in letting an integrated waste management contract and look forward to finalising the contract with Waste Recycling Group as soon as possible.”
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