Charnwood Signs Recycling Contract with Viridor 

Viridor (UK) has been awarded a five year eight month contract plus an option to extend for a further seven-year period by Charnwood Borough Council (UK) to transport and sort mixed recyclable materials arising from households in the borough.

Viridor, part of the FTSE-250 Pennon Group plc, will sort and market the Leicestershire-based council’s estimated 16,000 tonnes of recyclates at Europe’s largest and one of the most technologically-advanced Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Crayford, Kent.

Recovering glass, mixed plastics, cartons, aluminium and steel cans, mixed paper and cardboard, the new contract will help the councils deliver a more convenient and cost-effective service to their residents and it is expected to help them increase their recycling levels.

June Barlow, Viridor’s tender manager, said: “Charnwood has already a very good recycling record and the new contract with us will build on that by providing them with a good quality and cost-effective service.

“Through our Crayford facility Viridor recovers nearly half a million tonnes of valuable resources which can then be sent to manufacturers to produce new products and packaging, helping the UK become more resource efficient.”

The new contract will also result in changes to kerbside collections as residents will move from plastic sacks and a box to a single bin where householders can put all of their recyclable materials.

Neil Greenhalgh, Charnwood Borough Council’s head of environmental services, said: "We know that residents across the borough are keen recyclers and we are always looking for additional opportunities to make recycling easier while delivering good value for money. The new contract and the changes to collections will help us do just that. We are very pleased to appoint Viridor to help further boost our recycling performance."