This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Funding to cut landfill in Midlothian
19/03/2003
An annual award of up to £3.1 million over 25 years to
Midlothian Council was today given the green light to meet
the targets outlined in the National Waste Plan.
Part of the funding is expected to be used to provide
widespread segregated collection of materials for
recycling, a waste management complex and built-in
education centre. It is expected that neighbouring councils
may join with Midlothian in using the facility in order to
deliver significant economies of scale.
Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie
said:
"The National Waste Plan, which I announced on 25
February, will massively increase the amount of waste we
recycle and reduce the amount of waste we landfill.
"In Midlothian, money from the Strategic Waste Fund will
be invested in an integrated project to enable the council
to recover 65 per cent of the 50,000 tonnes of waste which
it landfills each year.
"The project will cover a number of initiatives to help
Midlothian Council deliver greener waste services. The
Council will increase the number of recycling sites and
provide widespread door-to-door waste collection services.
The public private partnership (PPP) contract will ensure
that as much waste as possible is recycled or composted
with only a third being landfilled."
"Delivering environmental justice on the ground goes
hand in hand with changing attitudes, which is why I
commend Midlothian for investing in a new education
facility alongside the waste facility."
The Executive has awarded a conditional grant of up to
£3.1 million per annum from the Strategic Waste Fund,
dependent on successful completion of a Public Private
Partnership (PPP) project by Midlothian and other councils.
Contractors will be asked to offer prices for a variety of
waste capacities.
Midlothian currently deals with 50,000 tonnes of
municipal waste each year. By seeking prices for capacities
of up to 100,000, 200,000 or 300,000 tonnes each year,
other councils will also be able to decide whether they
wish to make use of the services offered under the same
contract. It is expected that significant economies of
scale will result in cost savings compared to inviting
separate tenders.
The final grant award will be made following a PPP
tender process. Midlothian and other councils will need to
show that completed projects will deliver the targets set
out in the Area Waste Plan.
The PPP negotiating process is expected to take between
12 months to two years to complete.