Last big increase in Levy agreed as GMWDA sets the budget for 2013/14

On Friday 8 February, the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) set a 2013/14 Levy at £166.1 million, an increase of 14.15% on the current year. In 2014/15 the rise will be 2.98%, and from 2015/16 and for the next 20 years will be around 70% of inflation.

The 14.15% Levy increase, which adds around 2.6% to residents Council Tax Bill, is necessary to fund the completion of the £631 million investment used to build sustainable waste management facilities in Greater Manchester.

Councillor Neil Swannick, Chair of Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority said: “We know this is a big rise. It is however needed to enable us to complete the facilities being built, which means we can recycle much more and avoid landfill.

Through the facilities, and our residents participation we are already diverting 57% away from landfill and we are working hard to increase diversion to 90%. That means, if we achieve it, we would be saving around £29 million pounds a year.  We are also moving closer towards our ambition of zero waste to landfill, where everything we throw away will become a resource, and in so doing helping the fight against climate change.”

Notes to editors

Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) provides recycling and waste disposal services for over 1 million households in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford. It handles around 5% of national municipal waste.

Recycle for Greater Manchester is a partnership between Viridor Laing (Greater Manchester) Limited (VLGM) and the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA), encouraging all residents of Greater Manchester to reduce, re-use and recycle more and help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

The Greater Manchester zero waste initiative will save around 400,000 tonne of CO₂ per year.

Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) provides recycling and waste disposal services for 1,009,815 households in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford. It handles around 5% of national municipal waste.

VLGM is a joint venture company owned by Viridor, a subsidiary of Pennon Group PLC, and John Laing PLC, who have come together to deliver a 25 year Recycling and Waste Management Contract.

VLGM provides facilities and services to manage householders waste in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner. This involves the reception, treatment and disposal of waste to increase levels of recycling, composting and recovery and reduce waste sent to landfill.