The successful partnership between Acumen Distribution and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, which saw kerbside recycling rates more than double from 26% to 55% in just 8 months has resulted in Acumen Distribution's contract being extended until 2016. In addition, the Council has expanded its agreement with Acumen Distribution to include the collection of recyclables from Newcastle-under-Lyme's 15 bring sites.
Acumen Distribution has assigned two compacter trucks for this additional recycling work to provide weekly collections at the bring sites for a wide range of recyclable materials including plastic bottles, paper and glass and metals. For the remaining four days, Acumen Distribution will maintain its successful kerbside collections of recyclable household waste.
All recyclables are taken to Acumen Distribution's Waste Transfer Station in Burslem where paper, card, plastics, cans, glass, textiles and food waste is weighed and sorted. The company collects the household recyclates using nine trucks. These include five Terberg kerbside vehicles on Dennis Eagle chassis, two Mitsubishi 7.5 tonne light vehicles for rural collections and difficult access and two twin pack compactor vehicles which will also be collecting recyclables from the bring sites.
"Our partnership with Acumen Distribution has resulted in the Council saving money, reducing CO2 emissions and providing our residents with a first rate service", says Trevor Nicoll, Head of Recycling and Fleet Services at Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council. "The Council therefore had no hesitation in extending our contract with Acumen Distribution until 2016."
Acumen Distribution collects an average of 33 tonnes of food waste each week, which would otherwise be sent for incineration as well as over 167 tonnes of dry recyclables. The food waste is being turned into electricity and the recyclate is reprocessed in the UK. The increase in recycling has resulted in residual waste being reduced by a very impressive 37 per cent.
During the past twelve months, Acumen Distribution's service has resulted in Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council winning a hat trick of awards. These have included the 'Waste Management Award' from Government Business Awards; 'Local Authority of the Year' from Plant and Waste Recycling Show and the coveted 'Best Target Success Award' from LARAC- Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee
"In an age of local authority spending cuts, increasing demand for services and targets to reduce CO2 emissions it makes absolute sense for Councils to save costs by outsourcing their recycling collections to companies such as Acumen, which will invest in vehicles, personnel and infrastructure", said Chris Doughty, Managing Director, Acumen Distribution. "We are delighted that our endeavours have resulted in Newcastle-under-Lyme extending our contract".