Greater Manchester Combined Authority has extended their recycling and waste management contracts with SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK until 2034.
The original seven-year contracts were signed in 2019, with the facility to extend by up to a further eight years from 2026.
The contract is worth approximately £800m over eight years and it follows a strong performance by SUEZ, with over 99.8% of waste diverted from landfill using methods such as converting waste to energy, composting for agricultural land and recycling/reuse.
This is an increase from 90% diverted from landfill before 2019.
Recycling rates at household waste recycling centres have increased from 35% to 58% since the contracts were won in 2019.
The contracts are the first in the UK to mandate a strong emphasis on social benefits, with £1.3m for charities and community projects already ploughed back in since 2019
Caroline Simpson, Group Chief Executive to GMCA, GMFRS and TFGM said:
“It is good news for Greater Manchester residents that we have extended these waste management contracts. Under our unique devolution deal, we are making sure that these contracts push the boundaries on delivery of social value for the city region through public sector procurement, developing a model that is seen as best practice nationally.
“From creating jobs and apprenticeship opportunities to hundreds of thousands of pounds of funding for community projects every year, the last five years has seen a huge shift in waste management services that puts our residents at the very heart of them.
“Our partnership with SUEZ has also seen a significant improvement in performance with only 0.2% of waste going into landfill and HWRC recycling close to 60%. Waste management in the UK faces several challenges in the future from major policy reform and I have every confidence that GMCA and SUEZ are well placed to meet those challenges and to continue to provide excellent waste management services for our residents.”
