NEWS RELEASE
Date: 7 April 2008
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£310 million to help local authorities deliver carbon benefits through the diversion of over a million tonnes of England's waste from landfill
Defra has awarded PFI credits to four projects across England to improve local waste management. The projects will make a significant contribution towards meeting the UK’s landfill directive targets by helping to divert over a million tonnes of waste.
Environment Minister Joan Ruddock commented:
“These are ambitious yet realistic projects which have risen to the challenge of supporting the whole waste hierarchy. They have contributions to make on minimisation, recycling and waste diversion. A combination of these activities is essential in our drive to tackle climate change.
“PFI agreements like these provide an incentive for local authorities and industry to work together to achieve our goals of reducing the environmental impact of waste, and making better use and reuse of the waste we create. Importantly, each one of them is pursuing a solution which will achieve major carbon benefits.”
Each of the four projects will support the local authority’s waste ambitions. All aim to reduce the overall amount of waste created and it is anticipated they all will deliver a minimum of 50% recycling rate by 2020, with some aspiring to reach 60%.
The PFI credits awarded to the four projects are:
- Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Partnership - £77.4 million.
- Bradford Metropolitan District Council - £62.1 million.
- Suffolk County Council - £102 million.
- Leeds City Council - £68.6 million.
Each project will be considering the climate change impacts of its technology choice. They are all actively seeking options for Combined Heat and Power with an Energy from Waste or Mechanical Biological Treatment solution.
It is expected that each authority will issue a notice to prospective bidders in the Official Journal of European Union (OJEU) soon.
Notes to editors
1. The UK has one of the highest levels of landfill in Europe; in 2006 60 per cent of the 35.5 million tonnes of municipal waste arisings went to landfill.
2. Local authorities’ net revenue expenditure on waste collection and disposal in England was just over £2.6bn in 2006/07, largely spent through contracts with the private sector and dominated by disposal at landfill sites.
3. The UK has been set targets to reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfill under the EU Landfill Directive. Taking account of the derogation to which the UK is entitled, the Directive requires the volume of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill to be reduced to 75% of the 1995 levels by 2010; 50% by 2013; and 35% by 2020.
4. To date over £1bn has been committed to support 23 waste PFI projects. There are currently 18 waste PFI projects in operation and 5 in procurement.
5. The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) 2007 provided Defra with additional funding through PFI. The overall level has risen from £280m in 2007/08 to £600 million, £700 million and £700 million over the following years - totalling £2 billion of further investment in waste infrastructure.
Further information
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Page published: 7 April 2008