Mayside Recycling has been given a new contract by the States to sort, process and export recycled rubbish picked up from the kerb and bring banks.
The company has been doing this for the blue and clear recycling bags since they first came into use in 2014. Prior to that, and since, the company has also handled the majority of bring bank materials.
This new 10-year agreement gives Mayside an incentive to process as much recycling as they can, because it allows them to make income from the sale of the materials, while also leaving room for the States to profit.
It covers all household paper, cardboard, tins and cans, food and drink cartoons, and plastic bottles and trays collected on Guernsey.
Pictured: The new Waste Strategy had a soft launch in September this year - it will be fully implemented at the start of next month.
States Trading Assets Deputy Managing Director, Richard Evans, said market prices for different recyclables changed regularly, but the standard 'quality' of the materials in the island was very high, so it was always able to offload them.
"This is in effect a commercial partnership between the States and local business. The contract ensures that Mayside has the appropriate incentives, in line with the objectives of the waste strategy, but also ensures the States benefit if market prices rise,” he said.
Pictured: Image from Mayside Recycling's Gallery.
Mayside Director, Michael Grime, added that the company was focused on "driving and maximising recycling rates, in line with the waste strategy targets", and maintaining sustainable routes for the materials.
"We are extremely proud to be providing this dry recycling service to the States of Guernsey. As a business we are committed to offering best-in-class recycling solutions that meet the specific needs of our customers," he said.
"We look forward to working with the States of Guernsey to achieve their objectives for dry recycling over the years ahead."
The operations themselves will be based at Mayside’s dedicated materials recovery facility in St Sampson’s. From next year, some small businesses will be able to opt in to the parish collection system, and their blue and clear recycling bags will also go to Mayside.
Pictured: The Longue Hougue Waste Transfer Station was built over the course of 2017 and 2018 - it started operation in September.
The new recycling agreement is the last of a number of contracts tendered as part of the implementation of the island’s waste strategy. Others included the design, construction and operation of the new waste management facilities at Longue Hougue.
The newly-built transfer station, which will process general rubbish, food waste, and glass prior to export is currently undergoing performance testing, prior to full operation.
Pictured top: Mayside Recycling's facility (from Facebook).
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