Since 2000, South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) and SITA UK have been working in partnership to deliver a high quality, cost effective and sustainable integrated waste management service, proving the following services:-
• Collection of household waste (green recycling boxes, green and black bins, food waste, plastic bottles).
• Provision and operation of Household Waste Recycling Centres (known as SORT IT!* Centres)
• Processing materials separated for recycling/composting
• Transport of bulk waste
• Residual waste treatment and landfill disposal
• Publicity, promotions and awareness raising
The service is provided through a long term Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Contract which started on 31st July 2000 and ends on 30th June 2025. A summary of the contract, along with other waste PFI contracts is given on the Defra website :– http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/localauth/funding/pfi/documents/project-gloucs-sth.pdf
Contract Review 2010
During 2009 and 2010, SGC and SITA undertook a comprehensive review of the Council’s Waste Management Strategy and the PFI Contract. This review resulted in an updated waste strategy which is both sustainable and affordable.
The key benefits of the new strategy and contract variation are:-
• Introduction of new collection services from November 2010 which include weekly food collections, with fortnightly plastic bottles and cardboard collections link to details
• A new contract recovery target of 48.4%
• Delivery of food waste to an anaerobic digestion facility or in-vessel composting facility identified by SITA
• Delivery to the treatment facility procured by the West of England Partnership link to West of England page
• Flexibility for reductions (and increases) in the quantity of waste materials handled
• Joint waste prevention, promotion and education campaigns and on-going projects
Recent Contract Performance – 2009/10
| Total waste handled |
132,000 tonnes |
| Proportion of waste diverted from landfill, including rubble and soils delivered to SORT IT Centres |
45.2% |
| Proportion of waste recycled or composted -excluding inert waste |
41.5% |
| Recovered at SORT IT Centres |
57.5% |
Contract Facilities and Infrastructure
SITA has developed the following new facilities using capital funding provided through the PFI Contract and ring-fenced capital grant funding from Defra :-
• Yate transfer station of SORT IT Centre
• Yate recycling depots
• Mangotsfield transfer station and SORT IT Centre
• Thornbury SORT IT Centre
• Offices and workshop in Yate
Flexibility
The contract allows for the introduction of changes to services or to bring in new services, e.g. recycling additional materials, in response to new legislation and Government targets. Such changes are effected through the 5 Yearly Review and the Contract Change Procedure.