Cumbria's multi-million pound waste disposal solution

Waste disposal in Cumbria is set to be transformed after councillors today approved a 25-year deal worth more than £700million to slash the amount of rubbish going to landfill.

At a meeting in Kendal, Full Council agreed to the signing of a contract with waste management company Shanks Group plc - a move that will see much of the county`s waste sent to mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plants in Barrow and near Carlisle where it will be turned into an environmentally friendly fuel.

Councillors unanimously approved the motion to delegate the authority to sign the contract to the chief executive. The contract is due to be signed early in the New Year so the partnership can commence on February 2.

MBT is the most sustainable and progressive waste technology currently available and will reduce the amount of waste Cumbria sends to landfill by a massive 80 per cent - leading to a major reduction in the amount of methane the county produces. Methane is a greenhouse gas around 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.

Opting for the MBT waste disposal system could also save the county council having to pay out millions of pounds in fines. All councils have been tasked with finding alternatives to landfill otherwise they face Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) fines. Estimates indicate Cumbria could face an additional cost of £1.9m for 2011/2012 and £3.3m for 2012/2013, rising to £5.2m in the following years if landfilling at the current rate continues.

Under the plans MBT plants will be built at Hespin Wood in Carlisle and a site in Barrow - yet to be confirmed - while three transfer stations would be constructed at Flusco near Penrith, Kendal Fell and Distington. The plants could be up and running by 2012.

Council Leader Cllr Stewart Young told the council chamber:
"This is a good deal for the council and a good deal for council tax payers. Negotiations between us and Shanks have been robust. There are some issues that are so big that they transcend party politics and the future of waste disposal is one of those issues."

Cllr Tim Knowles, Cumbria County Council`s cabinet member responsible for waste management, said:
"This 25-year contract with Shanks shows a long-term commitment to providing the people of Cumbria with a modern, green and cost-effective way of dealing with their waste. The decision made by the council today will bring huge benefits for generations to come. It is probably the biggest single thing we as councillors will ever do to reduce our county`s carbon footprint. It will make Cumbria one of the greenest counties in Britain and will put us at the forefront of the national waste scene."

Ian Goodfellow, managing director of Shanks UK, added:
"We are delighted with the award of this, our fourth, PFI contract in the UK. It`s a clear demonstration of our ability to deliver on our strategic plan and such a deliverable and proven technology is, we believe, the right solution for the people of Cumbria."