Northumberland

In December 2006, SITA UK and Northumberland County Council signed a 28-year contract with the aim of transforming the way recycling and waste is managed in the county.

With a population of 330,000 the county currently generates 170,000 tonnes of municipal waste each year.

Ambitious targets have been agreed and by 2012; it is intended that 92 per cent of Northumberland’s waste will be diverted from landfill with the help of a number of new facilities and cutting-edge technology. SITA UK is also working closely with the County Council to boost the amount of waste that is recycled and composted, with the Council aiming to achieve at least 45 per cent by 2012.

Working with Northumberland County Council, SITA UK has provided up-front funding to ensure the swift delivery of a number of key facilities that have delivered a step change in performance to ensure European and national waste targets are met, and to immediately reduce the county’s long-standing reliance on landfill.

Planning approval for a £13m state-of-the art sustainable waste management facility in West Sleekburn was granted just four months after the contract with SITA UK was signed. As a result, this facility can now manage up to 120,000 tonnes of recyclables and waste each year. Also, SITA UK’s energy from waste facility at Tees Valley was also extended in 2009, so it can now take Northumberland’s residual waste.

£12m has also been invested by SITA UK on major refurbishments at 12 of the 13 household waste recovery centres (HWRCs) it now runs across Northumberland.

For more information, view Investing in Northumberland : Working with Northumberland County Council.