Two companies have reached the final stages of their bid to win the Zero Waste: Edinburgh and Midlothian residual waste treatment contract.

Viridor Waste Management and FCC Medio Ambiente SA are now bidding to win a multi-million pound contract to recycle up to 135,000 tonnes a year of mixed waste collected by the City of Edinburgh and Midlothian Councils, which would otherwise end up in landfill sites.

The successful company will be using completely new facilities which are to be up and running by the end of 2017.

The contract will help the Councils to reach recycling rates of 70% and reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill from around 50% at present to less than 5% by 2025, which is in line with targets set by the Scottish Government.

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Councillor Jim Orr, Environment Vice Convener at Edinburgh Council, said: "I welcome the continued progress the Zero Waste Project is making with the potential private sector partners. These facilities will complement the continued efforts to reduce waste in the first place and increase recycling at the kerbside both in Edinburgh and Midlothian, and will allow us to achieve our very ambitious targets."

Councillor Jim Bryant, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Midlothian Council, added: "Continued progress in the Zero Waste Project is important for the recycling and landfill targets of both Councils, and is also the first step in the redevelopment of derelict land at former railway marshalling yards in Midlothian. This has the potential to create new jobs and business opportunities in the area, and I look forward to a successful outcome in the near future."

Following a further series of discussions with the Councils, the two competing bidders will submit final bids early next year and a preferred bidder will be chosen.

(JP/CD)