Zero Waste a little nearer in Edinburgh and Midlothian

Three bidders – FCC Medio Ambiente SA, Urbaser and Viridor Waste Management – have been invited to submit detailed proposals by July 2013 for the treatment of mixed, unsorted waste collected by both Edinburgh and Midlothian Councils.

The development follows the recent news that a long-term solution for treating food waste from homes in each of these local authorities has been secured.Procuring these facilities will add to the efforts of both Councils to increase recycling, with a dramatic reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfill and the generation of low-carbon, renewable heat and electricity.

Each bidder must provide detailed information about its proposed pre-treatment facility, which must be located at the project site near Millerhill, in Midlothian. This facility will separate out any remaining marketable recyclables and produce a fuel for an Energy from Waste facility, which can be either onsite at Millerhill or offsite at a location of the bidders’ choosing. An Energy from Waste facility would produce heat and electricity from the non-recyclable waste.

Councillor Jim Orr, Environment Vice-Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The City of Edinburgh Council is committed to pursuing more environmentally-friendly and sustainable ways of dealing with our waste, and I welcome this development.

“We are making great strides in increasing our recycling, but we recognise that a lot more work is needed to reduce the amount of waste that we send to landfill. This project, along with our ongoing efforts at the kerbside, is aimed at eventually reducing the amount of waste which ends up buried in a landfill site from more than 50% to less than 5%.”

Councillor Jim Bryant, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Midlothian Council, said: “On top of redeveloping derelict land at former rail marshalling yards in Midlothian, this major project has the potential to deliver substantial economic benefits to the area by creating new jobs and new business opportunities. It also represents the final piece of Midlothian Council’s waste and recycling strategy, and I am delighted to see progress being made.”

After evaluation of the proposals, the successful bidders will enter into final competitive dialogue with the Zero Waste Project Team. They will then be invited to submit final bids and a Preferred Bidder will be chosen. It is expected that the residual waste treatment contract will be awarded in 2014, with the facilities operational in 2017.