Staffordshire County Council has awarded waste and resource management company, FCC Environment, with a contract to manage fourteen Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across Staffordshire.

The contract, which commenced on 19 August, will run for the next 15 years, but has options to renew after seven and 11 years.

The HWRCs that fall under the new management are located in: Biddulph, Bilbrook, Burntwood, Burton, Cannock, Cheadle, Leek, Lichfield Newcastle-under-Lyme, Rugeley, Stafford, Stone, Uttoxeter, and Wombourne.

FCC Environment has said that it has already spent around £5 million on upgrading the HWRCs. As a result, the sites will now accept a greater range of waste products and materials including carpets, mattresses and hard plastics. All but one of the sites will open for half an hour longer than is presently the case and several will now be open for seven days per week (Bilbrook, Cannock, Leek and Stafford). FCC Environment also plans to introduce reuse shops for the donation of items that can be sold on for charity.

The council has indicated that development of the sites will lead to ‘improved handling of larger waste items and more efficient disposal of fly-tipped waste collected by district and borough councils’.

Contract will save council £240,000 a year

Commenting on the contract, the council’s cabinet support member for environment, Gill Heath, said: “It is good to see the improved facilities at our household waste recycling centres now up and running. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle used items and our new contract with FCC is making that happen.

"These improved facilities which include longer opening hours, new services for small businesses and more people on hand to help at each centre will mean a better all-round experience for centre visitors. In addition, we will be achieving annual savings of £240,000 resulting in an efficient and best value for money service.”

The HWRCs were previously managed by infrastructure firm, Enterprise Plc, a subsidiary of UK-based Amey, which was bought by Spanish company Ferrovial earlier this year.

Reflecting on the new partnership, FCC Environment’s Head of Group Development, Steve Langdon, said: “We are extremely happy with the new relationship we have with Staffordshire County Council, and we’re looking forward to working with members of the public to seek more sustainable ways of managing their waste.

“Our new waste recycling centre arrangements will be a real winner for Staffordshire people, businesses and the environment. This is another example of how we’re improving how we operate, running an efficient county council and getting the best value for money for Staffordshire people.”

New waste compacting equipment introduced to the sites is to be provided by Staffordshire company, JCB.

Read more about recycling in Staffordshire, or find out more about FCC Environment.