All of Bristol’s waste services will be brought together under one operator following a decision by the city council’s cabinet to award a 10-year contract to Bristol Waste Company (BWC).
BWC will be responsible for the entire waste process including collection and disposal. Waste collection and disposal were previously operated separately. 
BWC, a limited company, is part of Bristol Holding Company Limited, which is wholly owned by Bristol City Council.
It will now be responsible for Bristol’s waste services for the next ten years. BWC was given a short-term contract a year ago by the council after it ended a seven-year, £96m deal with contractor Kier three years early by mutual consent.
The council had expressed concern over the increasing amount of waste being sent to landfill by Kier, formerly known as May Gurney.
BWC will run an integrated model, covering a range of services. This will provide new opportunities for dealing with Bristol’s waste from beginning to end, and for working with communities to prevent waste, improve recycling rates and improve neighbourhoods.
BWC will now make 17m collections a year from 195,000 households in the city, resulting in 175,000 tonnes of waste.
Responsibility for enforcement will continue to lie with the council, who will work closely with BWC to enable successful prosecutions
As part of the agreement they will be required to submit an annual business plan and their performance will be monitored against a set of performance measures.
Mayor Marvin Rees said: “One of my key promises to the city has been to launch a Clean Streets Campaign. We need a city wide strategy to tackling problems with littering and fly tipping, and to increase recycling rates. We must work closely with community organisations and schools to promote behaviour change.
“We have been given a real opportunity to make a difference to Bristol’s streets, and after considering all the facts, we believe that Bristol Waste Company offer us the best chance to achieve our ambitious goals for the city.
“There is a lot of work to be done, but we hope that a ten year contract will allow us the stability to make serious progress towards tidying up our streets.”
Under the terms of the agreement BWC will be responsible for:
- Waste collection, street cleansing and winter maintenance
- Communication, education and customer engagement
- The council’s household waste and recycling centres
- Waste treatment and disposal
- The sale of recyclable material
- Waste and recycling collection from council premises
BWC has also committed to provide revenue funding to manage, once built, a third household waste, reuse and recycling centre in Hartcliffe.
Bristol Waste Company managing director Tracey Morgan said “The whole team at Bristol Waste is delighted to have been awarded this contract.
“We look forward to working in partnership with communities across the city to increase recycling, reduce waste and keep our streets free from litter. Our aim is for Bristol to be a cleaner city which is happier and healthier for all those who live, work and study here – and, of course, our many visitors.
“We are committed to cleaner streets and helping to build a greater a sense of pride in the city.”
