FCC preferred bidder for British waste project
Edinburgh and Midlothian councils, in Scotland, have awarded to FCC the development of a residual waste public private partnership (PPP) project.
The firm, through its FCC Medio Ambiente SA FCC Waste Services (UK) consortium, beat out competition from three other shortlisted firms: Urbaser, Veolia ES Aurora Ltd and Viridor Waste Management Services Ltd.
FCC will handle up to 135,000 tonnes of waste per annum, as part of a 25-year contract. The deal also includes the construction, financing and operation of an energy from waste facility- with feedstock to be sourced from both Edinburgh and Midlothian councils.
The new energy-from-waste (EfW) plant will be located at a disused rail Marshalling Yards near Millerhill in Midlothian. The plant will be operated by Alauna Renewable Energy, a joint venture between Kelda Water Services and Scottish Water.
The total project investment is estimated at about US$204 million.
The new facilities will help both authorities reach Scotland's recycling target of 70% by 2025 and the country's landfill diversion target of 95% by 2025.
Councillor Lesley Hinds, environment convener for City of Edinburgh council, stated:
"Our priority is to encourage the public to cut down on waste and to fully engage in recycling. This facility will ensure that any waste remaining after recyclable materials have been separated out will be treated as a resource and no longer disposed of in a landfill site."
Councillor Jim Bryant, cabinet member for economic development at Midlothian council, commented:
"FCC's proposal offers a local solution that will benefit both partner councils equally. I am delighted with the economic benefits and opportunities which the regeneration of this brownfield site presents and I will be particularly keen to see FCC develop a local heat network that can link into some of the other exciting projects that are set to transform this area."
We have recently reported about three waste PPP projects in UK, which have been awarded during this autumn:
