MK City Council announce new deal for Suez to operate city's new waste recovery facility

Milton Keynes City Council has appointed SUEZ as the new operator of the Milton Keynes Waste Recovery Park (MKWRP).

The company has signed a 10 year deal starting in autumn to operate the location, which processes the city’s household rubbish and turns waste that can’t be recycled into sustainable energy. 

Milton Keynes City Council opened its Waste Recovery Park in 2018. The City Council said that since it opened, almost 100% of MK’s waste has been diverted from landfill.

The plant can process up to 132,000 tonnes of unrecyclable waste each year, creating power equivalent to that used by 10% of MK’s homes. It uses a method called gasification, which is greener and produces fewer emissions than incinerators. 

The move will expand SUEZ’s operations in the city, as in 2023, SUEZ previously took on the city contract for recycling and waste collections, rolling out city council plans to separate different types of recycling in red and blue bins.

MK City Council said SUEZ were the right fit due to having prior experience of developing and operating energy from waste facilities, including the gasification plant at the Shepperton Eco Park in Surrey. The city council was impressed by its bid, which showed: 

• Excellent value for money for local people
• A deep understanding of the city council’s commitment to sustainability
• A willingness to explore new green opportunities in partnership, such as a ‘private wire’ network where low-carbon power from the MKWRP could be used directly by local organisations, lowering energy bills 

Cabinet Member for Public Realm, Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, said, “This new contract provides an excellent opportunity to explore new green opportunities in partnership. It provides excellent value for money for local people, and I look forward to seeing this new chapter in our city’s innovative recycling history become a reality.”

John Scanlon, Executive Vice President UK, SUEZ, added “We are delighted to be awarded the operation of the Milton Keynes Waste Recovery Park. We have worked in partnership with Milton Keynes City Council since 2023 on their collections and street cleansing operation, delivering an improved service for residents and increasing recycling rates to take the city to number 1 spot in England for recycling. I’m delighted to extend our partnership by adding SUEZ’s expertise in energy recovery to the range of essential services we provide to the city.”

The city council is also taking the opportunity to share its thanks with current contractor Thalia, who (initially as Amey) has been running the MKRWP since inception, and has helped the city council deliver the best performing gasification plant in the UK.