Food waste is a piece of cake with Northumberland County Council


Ahead of the anticipated legislative requirement for authorities to collect food waste separately, long-standing NRG Riverside customer Northumberland County Council (NCC) takes the keys of a brand new 7.5t dedicated food waste vehicle.

Food waste is a piece of cake with Northumberland County Council 1Recently, NCC took delivery of an Isuzu 7.5t Terberg Orus, an RCV that has outstanding manoeuvrability in narrow spaces and a leakproof, watertight body, both important factors to consider when collecting domestic food waste in densely populated areas. The vehicle will serve a trial area comprising 4800 properties receiving a weekly kerbside collection. NRG Riverside has fitted the single unit vehicle with telemetry and by using the data collected during the trial, combined with feedback from residents, NCC will be able to shape the ongoing strategy for food waste collection in the county.

Colin Curtis, Resources and Waste Contracts and Commercial Manager Northumberland County Council said: ‘Northumberland Council already encourages households to reduce the amount of food waste they generate, and we are now looking to ensure that when we are required to do so, any food waste that is produced can be collected and treated in the most sustainable way possible to reduce carbon emissions and help protect the environment.’

As councils in England prepare for the biggest changes to food and recycling collections in decades, NRG Riverside offers a sensible, flexible approach to fleet procurement to meet changing demand. Amber Greenhalgh, Sales Director, explains: ‘As a national contract hire, spot rental and maintenance provider of specialist municipal vehicles, we recognise that trialling a food waste collection is key to understanding which vehicle to procure for the future. This trial enables all parties to understand what food volumes are generated, the quality and contamination of the waste, the distance travelled to collect it, and what other recyclables need to be collected kerbside. We can then design and build new vehicles to meet specific needs on contract hire.’

The fact remains that by 2023/24, councils across England must be prepared for collecting food waste separately. NRG Riverside is working with dozens of local authorities, including Northumberland Council, in the supply and maintenance of food waste collection vehicles on a rental basis and contract hire basis which is a practical solution whilst the new legislation is introduced.

Amber Greenhalgh concludes: ‘Contract hire provides a known fixed cost, with the fees spread evenly out over the hire period as determined by the client and their specific needs. Whether it is diesel or electric, single body or multicompartmental, small or large capacity, we can provide a variety of food waste collection vehicles entirely tailored to customer needs and available on contract hire with repair and maintenance included.’