Taxpayers forked out £10 million pounds for a recycling plant and equipment at the Bryn Pica site

Bryn Pica is an integrated waste management facility providing a variety of waste recycling and disposal services to residents and businesses of Rhondda Cynon Taf.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information and

Environmental Information Regulations, I kindly request answers to the following questions:

1 Where was the existing plant, which remained fully functional after removal from the site, relocated to?

The council response, The existing plant was removed as part of decommissioning works.

Taxpayers forked out £10 million pounds for a recycling plant and equipment at the Bryn Pica site

You will note the response from the council doesn’t answer the question above you have to ask why.

2 The plant was removed by contractors, but I would like to know whether it remains

under the control of the council or the Council Arm Length Amgen Cymru.?

 Existing plant was decommissioned and removed and not in Amgen control anymore.

3 Were taxpayers responsible for covering the costs of its removal, transportation offsite, and reassembling?

The existing plant was removed as part of decommissioning works.

Again the council did not fully answer the question

Regarding the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the transportation and disposal of waste streams from Amgen Cymru, which had a validity period from 1 December 2015 to 30 November 2020, I seek information on the following:

 4          Could you please provide the names of the contractor(s) who successfully secured waste contracts through the tendering process on Sell 2 Wales in 2015?

Please see below contractors that have successfully secured waste contracts through tendering processes since 2015.

Clearpoint

Coltar

Datashredder

Greenway Polymers

Jayplas

Roy Hatfield

European Metal Recycling

SIMS UK

Tom Prichard  Contracting

Evergreen Recycling Solutions Limited

Natural Hygiene

5          Has the DPS validity been extended beyond the initial period, as mentioned in your tender documents?

Yes

5A        If so, I would appreciate knowing the contractors who have been granted

extensions?

The Dynamic Purchasing System ( DPS ) is a framework.  The framework was extended in line with the Contract Public Regulations and therefore all the below contractors have been extended a place on the framework in line with the new framework period.  (This doesn’t mean they have been awarded work, this is the list of contractors that are offered contract opportunities)

Please see below full list of approved contractors on the DPS;

Alutrade Greens Recycling Polytrack UK

Atlantic Recycling Greenway Polymers Potters Waste Management

AWD Group Ltd Griffiths Waste Management Promet UK

Bayliss Recovery Hazrem Environmental Recresco Limited

Circum Recycling Jayplas Recycling UK

Clearpoint Recycling Lets Recycle It Roy Hatfield Ltd

Coltar Recycling Love Waste Limited Roydon Group PLC

Datashredder Lovell Recycling Ltd SIMS Group UK Limited

DS Smith Recycliing Mekatek Site Serv Ltd

E Team M & E Bin Hire Limited SL Recycling

Enava Monoworld South West Wood Products

Evergreen Recycling Solutions Limited Natural Hygiene Tom Pritchard Contracting

European Metal Recycling Neil Soil Supplier Transform Recycling

GD Environmental Services Newport Recycling Veolia ES UK

Ward Bros Steel Palm Recycling Viridor

6          Have any contractors who were initially successful in the tender process withdrawn due to rising costs?

No

7          Have payments to contractors been increased due to overall rising costs in the market?

Waste is a fluctuating market, our strategy aligns external price indices to track the market to ensure we receive the best available prices for Amgen Cymru.  Prices have increased and decreased throughout the life of the DPS.

8          Does the council or arms Length Amgen Cymru employ in-house waste collection services vehicles and skips, excluding Black bin Recycling bags, Green waste, and Large item waste collections?

No. Amgen Cymru operate one 3.5t caged vehicle to assist with bulking of smaller recyclables between its operational sites. This vehicle is used ad-hoc for supporting waste collection services from trade sources.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Vehicle Operations Licence details (OG0000472) This is where the council informs the Traffic Commissioner where vehicles are stored or operated from.

Tir Ergyd Yard, Merthyr Road, Llwydcoed, 50 vehicles

Bryn Pica Landfill, llwydcoed 20 vehicles 

9          I have observed an increase in contractors’ skips being used at Ty Amgen Community

Recycling Centre. Is this change also being implemented at Dinas, Ferndale, Treforest,

Llantrisant, and Treherbert?

Amgen Cymru utilise the services of an external transport provider at the 6 community

recycling centres within RCT. Asset management is the responsibility of the contractor/s and

therefore a mixture of both Amgen Cymru assets and third-party assets are deployed at the

sites to ensure an efficient service for the residents of RCT and Amgen Cymru daily

operations.

10         Would retaining your own skips at Community Recycling Centres be more cost- effective?

As 9. A mixture of both Amgen Cymru assets and contractor/s assets are in service. Amgen assets will remain in service whilst economical to operate and repair.

Additionally, I would like information concerning:

1          Bryn Pica Waste Operations Permit number EPR/AP3199FE Variation application

EPR/AP3199FE/V013, which seeks to increase the annual waste for the site to 150,000

tonnes per annum. I am interested to know the amount of waste disposed of at the waste

tip for the years 2021 and 2022, considering that all black bag/bin waste is sent to the

Cardiff Incinerator.

The total volume of waste disposed of within the Bryn Pica Landfill for the periods

requested are as follows:

2022 – 31,746 Tonnes

2021 – 28,842 Tonnes

Please note that these total mostly consist of commercial waste, accepted for disposal by the operator.

2          Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Landfill Allowance Scheme 2017/18 was 25,683 tonnes and your Biodegradable municipal waste was 1,415 tonnes the total of Landfill Allowance

Scheme used for 2017/18 allowances used just 5.5% Therefore why did you increase the annual waste for the Bryn Pica Waste site to 150,000 tonnes per annum can you please explain why?

The Environmental Permit referenced was increased to accommodate future increases in recycling and the transfer of residual (black bag) waste from Bryn Pica to the Trident Park Energy from Waste Facility. The permit covers all waste/recycling received at Bryn Pica not just landfill.

3          The waste processing facility at Ystrad Barwig Farm, Llantwit Fardre. I request clarification on whether the council or a contractor operates this facility. If it is a contractor, please provide the name of the contractor.

The Council does not own or operate this facility and does not hold any information regarding the operation.

AberdareOnline has asked the council to clarify some questions they have not responded to fulley, to date we have not received a response.