48% recycling rate first dividend of new waste contracts

Bristol’s recycling rate has soared in the last month, thanks to new waste contracts put in place this year beginning to yield results.

Provisional figures just in show Bristol’s recycling, composting and reuse rate for November was just over 48% - that's 12% higher than this time last year, and around 7% higher than last month.

The landfill rate for November was down to around 28%, compared to 63% last November (and 88% before Bristol’s weekly food & organic kerbside recycling were introduced in 2006), and the production of refuse-derived fuels for renewable energy schemes contributed a recovery rate of around 23%, compared to 0% this time last year.

The main reason for the dramatic improvement is the new service that the council entered into with New Earth Solutions earlier in the year, as part of the West of England Partnership’s Waste Contract. Since the commissioning of New Earth’s mechanical biological treatment facility in Avonmouth in September, around two-thirds of Bristol’s residual waste - 53,600 tonnes each year - is taken there instead of being sent to landfill.

Here, further material that can be recycled is recovered; a biomass-rich, refuse-derived fuel for use in energy recovery is created from the material that can’t be recycled; and a compost product, used for land remediation, is produced.

Currently under construction alongside the Avonmouth waste treatment facility is a renewable energy plant. New Earth will be utilising Advanced Thermal Conversion technology to generate electricity and heat from the refuse-derived fuels prepared on-site. When complete, the plant will generate enough electricity to power around 13,000 homes. The first phase of the energy plant is due for completion at the end of 2012.

Cabinet member for strategic waste, Cllr Gary Hopkins, said: “Firstly, we want to thank residents for making the most of our recycling services and helping us reduce the overall amount of waste we produce. Bristol’s waste and recycling figures for November are absolutely excellent and they are a reflection of the work we’ve been doing this year to help move us towards our plans for zero untreated waste to landfill within three years.

“A year ago, all of our residual waste was being sent to landfill, costing hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money, and now the majority of it is being treated by New Earth to ensure the maximum amount of recycling and composting material is extracted and only the smallest amount that cannot be reused in any way is land filled.

“Next year, once our new kerbside services have been rolled out by May Gurney to all residents, including plastics and Tetra Pak collections, we expect to see even greater levels of recycling and less waste headed for landfill. With these two new contracts in place, plus a further contract with SITA to deal with the remainder of our waste, we believe we will be one of the first cities in the country to be sending no untreated waste to landfill.”

Peter Mills, Operations Director at New Earth, said, “ The performance of our waste treatment facility at Avonmouth has been excellent following the commissioning period earlier this year. The team on site, who have largely been recruited from the local area, have worked very hard and their efforts, in conjunction with the ability to adopt a flexible approach to working with the Council have contributed to these fantastic results. This is a great example of the contribution that non-destructive treatment technologies can make to recovering a range of important resources from household waste.”

Neal Willis, regional operations director at May Gurney, said: "We're committed to helping Bristol achieve even greater levels of recycling and waste reduction and the introduction of our new kerbside services for residents next year should help to boost these already impressive results, as well as making it easier for people in Bristol to recycle more and waste less. By working together, we can all play our part in helping to make Bristol one of the most sustainable cities in the UK."