A new commercial waste and recycling collection service is to be introduced in Leeds city centre, with an aim to help save businesses money while also enhancing street aesthetics.
LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District), working in partnership with Leeds-based Forge Recycling, is to deliver a new collection service to city centre businesses. LeedsBID selected the company through a competitive bidding process, designed by waste consultants Eunomia, which looked at both price and quality of service.
The new service, which started this month, comes in response to a recent survey which showed that 43% of LeedsBID levy payers wanted to see improvements to their collection contracts.
Forge will be offering a seven day a week service with collections timed to ensure trade sacks and loose waste are not left out overnight. When businesses sign up, they will receive a free waste audit to check how they could save money, and will be able to receive a free collection of waste cardboard each week.
The contract, which is available to businesses who pay a BID levy (mandatory or voluntary), has been designed so that the more businesses who opt into the service, the more money they will all save. It is hoped that local businesses will work together to repeat the success of similar schemes elsewhere in the UK.
LeedsBID Chief Executive Andrew Cooper said: “The contract demonstrates how businesses can work together to achieve economies of scale. The ambition is to save money, improve recycling and enhance street aesthetics by having a regular and quality waste service. BIDs elsewhere in the UK have employed similar schemes and we will be working collaboratively with Forge to ensure a first-class service for all businesses in Leeds.”
LeedsBID will play an ongoing role, monitoring how Forge performs, working together on any service issues and ensuring that prices stay low over the lifetime of the contract.
The new trade waste service is part of LeedsBID’s business priorities to help local businesses reduce costs while also contributing to improving the appearance of the city centre. Businesses located in LS1 and LS2 with a rateable value of £60,000 or more pay a 1.25 per cent levy into the BID which is invested back into the city centre through various projects and initiatives.
Harvey Mills, co-founder of Forge Recycling, said: “We see this contract as a big opportunity, and are delighted to have the opportunity to work with LeedsBID. Working together, we can offer businesses a more convenient service and help them recycle more. We are proud of our roots in Leeds and passionate about improving the city centre.”
