New waste collection trucks that run on vegetable oil will be introduced in Crowborough and across Wealden as part of a new contract for collecting household rubbish.
The East Sussex Joint Waste Partnership – made up of Hastings Borough, Rother District and Wealden District councils – has announced an extension of its current contract with Biffa for waste collection, street and beach cleansing.
The original contract was awarded after a highly competitive process in 2019 with the option to extend for a further seven years. The new agreement extends it to 28 June 2033.
The contract extension – worth approximately £119m over the seven years – will include a new fleet of waste collection vehicles being operated on hydrotreated vegetable oil – reducing carbon emissions by up to 90% as well as a transition to electric vans and cars.
It will also mean the green light for the councils and Biffa to work together on the requirements of the Govt’s Simpler Recycling reforms – specifically the introduction of weekly food waste collections to all households from 30 March 2026.
During Biffa’s current term, the councils have experienced an increase in the partnership’s recycling rate from 37% in 2019 to 46% in 2024, as well as a significant drop in missed bin collections.
Local community organisations will also continue to benefit from the Biffa Awards scheme, with successful funding applications already granted within the partnership area, as well as the contract securing local jobs for circa 300 staff including 2 apprentices.
Cllr James Partridge, Alliance for Wealden (Liberal Democrat) lead councillor for Governance, Waste & Local Economy and deputy leader of the council, said: “The extension of our contract with Biffa is great news for Wealden residents. It will secure a high quality, value for money, waste collection and cleaning service for another seven years and mean we can focus on improving waste management services, promoting recycling, and providing a cleaner, more sustainable environment for our district.”
Steve Cole, Managing Director of Biffa Municipal, said, “I’d like to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication in what has been a long and complicated process.
“It’s testament to the strength of our partnership and working relations how we’ve managed to complete a comprehensive extension agreement and delivered what I genuinely believe to be an excellent outcome for the partnership, the communities in Sussex we serve as well as for Biffa, for years to come.”