Southend-on-Sea City Council has announced that SUEZ is producing energy from residents’ non-recyclable waste.
SUEZ provides energy-from-waste services to numerous local authorities across the UK, converting the waste that cannot be reused or recycled into energy.
The new contract, which is for five years with the possibility to extend, will provide a cost saving of around £2m over its lifetime.
Cllr Paul Collins, cabinet member for asset management and inward investment, said:
Energy from waste is a much more environmental and efficient alternative to landfill, which produces energy for the national grid, and the on-site recycling facility uses the leftover ash to make secondary aggregate products for road building and construction. Along with this, the new contract provides a big cost saving too, which is vital as we grapple with our own financial challenge and support our communities with the cost-of-living crisis.
Council officers will now work closely with SUEZ over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition. This change in the end destination of our waste will not affect residents’ collections, and residents should put out their pink recycling sacks, paper and cardboard box, food waste bin and black sacks on their usual collection day.
It is important to note that this contract applies to non-recyclable waste which goes in your black sacks only. We should all prioritise recycling at every opportunity, as this is hands down the best environmental option – along with reducing our waste in the first place – so we need residents to continue to use the full range of recycling services available to them at the kerbside and at our Household Waste Recycling Centres.
Amanda Padfield, director of public sector development for SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, said:
We look forward to partnering with Southend-on-Sea City Council over the next five years, using our regional network to help divert more waste away from landfill in the East-of-England. By sending the residual waste to the Suffolk Energy from Waste facility, this new contract will also bring further efficiencies for the plant and for our other local authority partner in the region, Suffolk County Council.
