The authority announced eight bidders had been longlisted in August this year, and following more detailed bids that list has been whittled down to the following four teams:
- Cory Environmental
- EON Energy from Waste consortium, including Tata Chemicals and subcontractor Grundon Waste Management
- Sita
- Viridor
These four bidders will be asked in the spring to submit detailed solutions to treat up to 300,000 tonnes of waste per year, with an aim of increasing recycling rates at the authority to at least 50% by 2020, up from its current level of around 40%.
Two final bidders will be chosen in autumn 2012, with a preferred bidder scheduled to be announced in spring of the following year and the service to begin by April 2015.
However, the authority has said it is looking at the possibility of starting the scheme earlier than that, to increase diversion form landfill as soon as possible.
For more information on the project, click here.