Two chosen for N. Lincs residual waste contract

Two bidders have been shortlisted to compete for North Lincolnshire Council’s residual waste contract.

Waste Recycling Group (WRG) and North Lincolnshire Green Energy (NLGE) have made it through to the next stage while, Orchid Environmental and Sterecycle lost out.

The multi-million pound 25-year contract - which is not a PFI or PPP - will provide treatment for up to 1.5 million tonnes of residual waste over its lifetime.

North Lincolnshire Council cabinet member for neighbourhood, environmental and communities Cllr Len Foster said: “This is one of the biggest contracts North Lincolnshire Council will ever let. Subject to the formal decision, I’m delighted that two local companies are still in the running.

“I’ve always said there will be no incinerator in North Lincolnshire and there won’t be – neither solution uses an incinerator. And subject to planning, neither solution will be siting a treatment facility close to any residential development.”

NLGE is a partnership between local lime manufacturer Singleton Birch and waste management firm Biffa. Together, the firms plan to build a gasification facility on the Singleton Birch site at Melton Ross. WRG and joint venture partner cement manufacturer Cemex have proposed a mechanical biological treatment facility, which will produce solid recovered fuel to be used in Cemex’s cement-making process. Both proposals also recover recyclable metals.

WRG general manager Mike Snell said of the firm’s plans: “The proposal will have the combined benefit of reducing North Lincolnshire’s reliance on landfill – thus helping them to meet tough Government landfill diversion targets – as well as displacing the use of fossil fuels in cement making.”