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Somerset Council is responsible for all waste services in the county, find out about our contractors

IntroductionCompliance with Waste Regulations 2011

Introduction

Somerset Council is responsible for all waste services in the county, including kerbside collections of recycling and refuse, and 16 recycling sites.

These services are delivered by three key contracts.

For recycling, refuse, garden, clinical, bulky waste collections; and container delivery.

ContractorValueInitial duration of contractStart dateEnd date
SUEZAbout £23m per year10 years28 March 2020March 2030, with option to extend for a further 10 years

For energy recovery and disposal of non-recycled household waste.

ContractorValueInitial duration of contractStart dateEnd date
Viridor LtdAbout £14m per year25 years1 April 202031 March 2045, extendable up to 5 years to 31 March 2050

For recycling sites, hazardous waste collection, composting, anaerobic digestion and closed landfills.

ContractorValueInitial duration of contractStart dateEnd date
BiffaAbout £13m per year16 years. (Novated from Viridor Ltd in January 2023)14 May 200631 March 2022, extended by 9 years (in 2019) to 31 March 2031

Compliance with Waste Regulations 2011

Taking effect from 1 January 2015 with evidence guidance issued by the Environment Agency on 22 December 2014, the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 (as amended in 2012) introduced measures for collectors to promote high quality recycling, including:

  • Improving use of waste as a resource by following the waste hierarchy: prevent, reuse, recycle, recover energy, and, as a last resort, disposal.
  • Separate collections so customers can keep paper, plastic, metal and glass separate from general waste.

Somerset Waste Partnership has produced a report to demonstrate compliance with the new regulations which was approved by the Somerset Waste Board in March 2015.

Last reviewed: June 1, 2023 by Jenny

Next review due: December 1, 2023

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