Waste export contract up for grabs

Sunday 26 March 2023

Guernsey Waste is hunting for companies that could deal with the Island’s general waste from next year.

In 2018, it signed a contract with Geminor UK, with rubbish processed into refuse derived fuel and burnt in an waste-to-energy facility in Sweden to generate electricity and district heating.

It was part of an overhaul of how Guernsey dealt with its waste after the States decided to go for a strategy based around export instead of dealing with it all on-island.

Later, an option to extend that contract until the end of this year was agreed.

Any companies interested in the new deal have until 21 April to complete an initial questionnaire that will allow Guernsey Waste to identify a shortlist of providers who will be invited to tender.

Last year, about 11,500 tonnes of RDF were produced at the Longue Houge waste transfer station.

Geminor handled 1.8 million tonnes of waste across Europe.

A separate contract for glass recycling is also expected to be re-tendered this year.

Food waste is also shipped to the UK where it is used to generate electricity and produce fertiliser.

Guernsey Waste is a States trading body. When the waste strategy was devised, mostly ending landfill, it pushed up costs to households and was intended to be self-financing.

But higher than expected recycling levels and lower amounts of general rubbish have helped lead to the operation running at a loss that will be more than £2m. this year.  Decisions by the States last year mean that shortfall will be covered from general revenue.

Households pay for collection through the parishes, stickers for black bag waste and a Guernsey Waste annual charge.

The States rejected the option of charging for recycling to help cover the deficit.