Veolia wins resource recovery contract with Gold Coast

Veolia has been awarded a $280 million resource recovery (RRS) contract to operate several of the City of Gold Coast’s (City) recycling, resource recovery and waste management facilities.

As part of an initial seven-year contract with the City, Veolia has committed to a 5% improvement to the Gold Coast’s recovery rates by 2025, through optimised waste management and increased recycling.

From May 2023, Veolia will operate up to five of the region’s essential resource recovery facilities, including three community waste and recycling centres, and two landfills. Veolia will also run 14 logistics vehicles and work with the region’s social enterprise organisations to drive further environmental outcomes. Overall, approximately 100 personnel will be directly employed by Veolia as the RRS contractor.

The City of Gold Coast is the second largest local government and sixth largest city in Australia with a resident population of more than 633,000 and welcoming more than 10 million domestic visitors per year.

Craig Barker, Veolia’s COO for resource recovery, said the future of the environmental industry is growth, especially as policy demands an improvement in recycling and recovery rates.

“Australians create 61.5 million tonnes of waste each year and we only recover 60% of it. We know that by working with the Gold Coast community, we can recycle more, which would help to increase this number,” Barker said. “While the Gold Coast has not achieved 60% yet, our partnership will help support the Gold Coast in reaching this target.”

City of Gold Coast CEO Tim Baker said the City was delighted to be engaging an experienced industry partner to deliver on its mission to protect the health and safety of the community and the environment.

“This will be a strategic, collaborative, long-term contract with a single, experienced delivery partner that will leave a positive legacy for the city.

“As well as the direct cost savings, we expect to derive additional benefits of $35 million over the seven years, including avoiding up to $15.8 million in State Waste Levy payments.”

Image caption: iStock.com/AzmanL