Veolia awarded Hampshire HWRC operating contract

Veolia awarded Household Waste Recycling Centre contract by Hampshire County Council

The UK’s leading resource management company, Veolia, has been awarded the Household Waste Recycling Centre contract by Hampshire County Council. Worth over £70 million, the contract will enhance recycling through Hampshire County Council’s and Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils’ HWRC sites and help towards achieving a circular economy. With a focus on sustainability this partnership will also help the County Council meet its savings targets in light of reduced Government funding.

Under the new fourteen year and nine month contract, Veolia will manage the 250,000 tonnes of materials arising each year, and will help the councils to reduce costs with a service that is flexible and can respond to future changes. The service is due to commence in April 2016.

Following the earlier public consultation, and the subsequent recommendations forming part of the Tender by the Council, charges will be introduced for residents bringing materials not classed as household waste – such as soil, rubble, plasterboard and asbestos. An extra service for small and medium size businesses to deposit their trade waste will also be introduced. Veolia will manage this process for the councils and will segregate these trade recyclables helping to reduce whole life contract cost.

With the aim of increasing sustainability Veolia will improve existing recycling rates for many of the material streams, and there will also be a drive to further improve the image of the HWRCs and re-use shops. All staff are planned to transfer to Veolia and become part of the company’s already established team within Hampshire.  

Estelle Brachlianoff, Senior Executive Vice President, Veolia UK and Ireland, commented “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 said “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.”