Global law firm Eversheds has advised Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority on a thirty year waste treatment PPP contract, worth over £1 billion which has now reached financial close.

The project will be delivered by a joint venture comprising SITA UK a subsidiary of French company Suez Environmental and Sembcorp of Singapore. Japanese corporation Itochu is an equity investor.

The project involves the management of over 430,000 tonnes of residual household waste each year from Merseyside and Halton. It includes the design, build, finance and operation of two key facilities which both have planning permission in place: a rail loading waste transfer station in Merseyside and a new purpose-built energy-from-waste facility in Teesside which is CHP enabled.

Total capital investment for the two facilities will be around £250 million. Both key facilities are expected to be operational by 2016.

The Eversheds team was led by Partner Michael Grimes, assisted by Partner Geraint Thomas, Legal Director Chris Henshaw, Principal Associates James Lupton, Elizabeth Marshall and Charlotte Tanikal, and Associate Emma Catterick. This team also previously advised MRWA on its waste management and recycling project awarded to Veolia.

Michael Grimes commented:

“This is an innovative project which will create world class facilities and have a hugely positive environmental impact, with over 90 per cent of the contract waste being diverted from landfill and used to produce energy.”

Carl Beer, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority said:

“We are extremely pleased to have reached this project milestone. We look forward to moving forward in order to provide future generations in Merseyside and Halton with an effective and sustainable waste solution. As our trusted legal advisers, Eversheds were intrinsic in helping us get to this stage.”

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