Leicestershire County Council put the contract to process the county’s dry recyclables out to tender following the Cabinet’s decision to pass its ‘Dry Recycling Credit Saving Strategy’, which sought ways to reduce the County Council’s expenditure on recycling credits.
Casepak already has existing contracts in place with several Leicestershire waste collection authorities, which will continue to be covered under the terms of the new contract so the transition is expected to be smooth.
The company currently processes a combined 38,000 tonnes per annum of recyclable materials from Blaby District Council, Charnwood Borough Council and Harborough District Council at its Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).
Casepak also manages an additional 6,000 tonnes per annum from Recycling and Household Waste Sites in Leicestershire at its Collections and Processing Facility in Enderby.
In addition, the new contract could see Casepak potentially gain an extra 20,000 tonnes per annum of dry recyclables from Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Melton Borough Council, and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.
The new contract will commence on the 1 April 2018 and has been awarded for a minimum of four years, with the option to extend up to 10 years.
The dry recycling stream includes paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal and aluminium cans and drinks cartons. Once collected, these items will be sent to Casepak’s £21 million state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Braunstone Frith, Leicester. The material is then sorted, graded and processed using the latest recycling technology.
Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for waste at Leicestershire County Council, said: “Following a competitive tendering process, we are happy to be able to work with Casepak in our attempts to encourage residents to recycle their waste.
“Awarding this contract will not just help us towards our goal to save more than £1 million a year, but it supports the local economy and recycling services.”
Georgina Cullen, Casepak’s Business Development Director, said: “As a Leicester-based company we are delighted to have been awarded this substantial contract to process the county’s dry mixed recyclables.
“We look forward to partnering with Leicestershire County Council over the next few years and helping to increase recycling rates across the county.”
Casepak’s MRF has the capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of material each year, recovering 95% of the material processed. The MRF has exceeded standards set by the Code of Practice and produces Technically, Environmentally and Economically Practicable compliant outputs.
Five decades at recycling sector’s cutting edge
26-11-2020Casepak is celebrating 50 years at the forefront of the UK’s recycling sector.
Established by its founder George Smith, Casepak is now one of the UK’s most innovative and forward-thinking recycling and waste management firms.
From modest beginnings as a second-hand carton business, employing just seven people, George’s foresight ensured the business went from strength–to–strength. Opened in 1997, its purpose-built collections and processing facility in Enderby processes 150,000 tonnes of recycled material every year.
Keeping ahead of developments as always, George saw that the increasing demand for total waste management, coupled with Government legislation to reduce the amount of material going to landfill, would require greater sorting and recycling of waste. Casepak embarked on a new, £21 million venture to design, develop and construct a 165,000 tonnes per annum MRF which opened in 2012. After passing away in 2013, George left Casepak to his eight children, all of whom still play an active part in the business.
Casepak now employs 136 people, serves 320 private sector organisations and 17 local authorities, delivering high quality recycling services. Casepak as a business was officially incorporated in 1970, and it now sits under its holding company G.A.E Smith (Holdings) Ltd.
Mark Smith, joint Managing Director of Casepak said, “We’ve seen a real change in attitudes towards recycling over the years – it’s now something that people do inherently, and we’re here to help them and organisations get the very best out the material they place into their recycling bins.
“Our aim is always to strive for ‘recycling excellence’ and over the last few years we’ve spent a lot of time teaching people how to recycle correctly and be more environmentally responsible; an important issue, not only for the sector, but for society as a whole.
“Moreover, how we’ve adapted and developed over the last few challenging months is true testament to the dedication and hard-working nature of the entire Casepak team. We’ve seen volumes of waste like never before and have had to act speedily to ensure that the material coming into Casepak was processed smoothly, efficiently and safely.
“George, my father, is still always at the heart of everything we do. He had a real recycling vision. He was one of the first to recognise the opportunities that lay ahead. His drive, determination and inspiration shaped the company into one of the best independent recyclers in the country.
“We are continuing his legacy as a family business and are excited to see what lies ahead for Casepak and the recycling industry as a whole. Here’s to the next 50 years!”
Image caption: Casepak’s new 50th anniversary truck.