SUEZ secures £144M full service contract for Southend-on-Sea
Agreement of the eight-year contract will see new waste collection scheme, expanded HWRC services, and revive reuse shops.
SUEZ recycling and recovery UK has been awarded an eight-year contract to deliver recycling, waste, and street cleansing services for Southend-on-Sea’s 85,000 households.
The contract, which is worth £18 million annually, will see SUEZ taking control of the city’s two Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), a transfer station, and the street cleansing operations.
Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Waste at Southend-on-Sea City Council, Councillor Lydia Hyde, commented: "I am delighted to announce, subject to contract, SUEZ UK as our preferred bidder for the new recycling, waste collection and street cleansing contract starting on 5 April 2025.
“This administration has made a commitment to rebuilding pride in our city, and I look forward to working closely with SUEZ UK to help achieve this with an excellent new recycling and waste service that works for all residents. This includes introducing exciting innovations that will make our streets cleaner and support residents to recycle more.”
A key change will be the introduction of a wheeled bin collection system, with alternate weekly collections starting in October 2025.
To support this transition, Southend residents will have access to a new Resident App that will provide service updates and allow them to track collection schedules. The app will be compatible with Alexa and supported by a dedicated website.
Hyde added: “We recognise that the move to alternate weekly collections and the introduction of wheeled bins is a significant adjustment for residents. We want residents to understand the new scheme and how collections will work, and so we will be providing lots of information and engaging with residents throughout the transition period.”
SUEZ notes that they will use the latest technology, including a partially electric street cleansing fleet, recycled vegetable oil for all plant machinery, and route optimisation to lower vehicle mileage, to help decrease CO2 emissions. The contract states an annual commitment to decrease emissions by more than 4,000 with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.
The city’s two HWRCs will also be expanded to accept a wider range of recyclable items. Additionally, the reuse shop at Stock Road will be revitalised, and a second reuse shop will open at Leigh Marshes. All profits from both shops will go to a local charity partner.
Discussing the partnership, Chief Executive Office for SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, John Scanlon, said: “We are thrilled that SUEZ has been given this opportunity to provide recycling, waste, and street cleansing services for Southend-on-Sea City Council from 2025. We look forward to embarking on this new partnership which will roll out new customer service benefits for residents, together with an ambitious strategy to help the Council realise its carbon neutral aspirations, increase recycling rates and deliver lasting benefits for the local community. We are excited to get started and deliver for the people of Southend.”
