The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the largest waste disposal authority in the UK, has renewed its waste and recycling contracts with SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK for an additional eight years.
Originally signed in 2019, the initial seven-year contracts will now extend to 2034, allowing SUEZ to enhance its waste management services and build on the successes of their partnership over the past five years.
This extension underscores SUEZ’s role as a key provider of complex, integrated services within the UK market, which is vital to its international growth strategy.
Since 2019, SUEZ and GMCA have collaborated to manage over one million households and 1.03 million tonnes of waste annually across nine boroughs of Greater Manchester.
The extended contracts will enable SUEZ to continue innovating in recycling and waste management, ensuring residents can recycle a broader range of materials, including pots, tubs, and trays.
Additionally, significant investments will be made to upgrade the energy-from-waste facility at Raikes Lane in Bolton, enhancing both its environmental performance and efficiency.
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with GMCA, the UK’s largest waste disposal authority, as we support their shift towards a circular economy. GMCA’s decision to deepen its collaboration with SUEZ reflects the long-standing trust we’ve established and highlights our commitment to delivering economic and social value through innovative solutions,” remarked Sabrina Soussan, Chairman and CEO of SUEZ.
Caroline Simpson, Group Chief Executive of GMCA, GMFRS, and TFGM, expressed her satisfaction with the contract extension, emphasizing the importance of public sector procurement in maximizing social value for the city region. She noted that their unique devolution deal enables them to set a national best practice standard.
The partnership has led to remarkable improvements, with landfill diversion rates exceeding 99.8% and household waste recycling rates nearing 60%.
As the UK government aims for a zero-waste economy with upcoming reforms in recycling and producer responsibility, SUEZ and GMCA are poised to work together over the next decade to establish Greater Manchester as a leading Green City region.
This partnership, centered on innovation, social value, and education, has already achieved significant results in just five years:
– Recycling rates across the 20 household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) have risen from 35% to 58%.
– The introduction of the Renew Hub, a pioneering reuse service, has solidified SUEZ’s leadership in creating social value, diverting over 260,000 items for reuse and generating more than £1 million for local charities. This initiative is part of 54 social value commitments that enhance the partnership’s impact.
– The contract has fostered local inclusion and education, creating 38 apprenticeships in various roles, including recycling operatives and furniture restorers. Collaborating with Recycling Lives, 53 work placements have been provided for individuals on probation, and SUEZ has hosted over 60 educational events for schools, promoting recycling careers and supporting 11 research projects with local educational institutions.
– SUEZ has also prioritized biodiversity conservation, planting 1,498 trees with City of Trees, donating over 350 tonnes of compost, and implementing various initiatives to enhance biodiversity across waste sites in Greater Manchester.
Source :SUEZ
