Attempts to change food waste contract criticised

Roy Tilleard says laws need to change to allow more companies to apply for the states' new food waste contract

Guernsey’s politicians have been urged to back a move to allow douzaines to give the food waste it collects to any company it wants for processing.

Food waste is currently collected and processed at Longue Hougue before being sent to a facility in Warminster and turned into electricity and fertiliser.

Businessman Roy Tilleard put forward a scheme to deal with food waste using flies to turn it into fertiliser, but he could not operate under current laws.

The States Trading Supervisory Board (STSB) recently completed a process to award a new contract to a company to deal with the island’s food waste from the start of 2024.

Deputy Carl Meerveld said he would publish proposals to relax rules around waste collections within the next week to allow Tilleard to submit his plans.

Mr Tilleard’s company was one of the unsuccessful bidders for the contract to deal with Guernsey’s food waste.

He said: “Under the current parochial waste law, the douzaines are required to supply food waste to Longue Hougue.

“It makes it very difficult under these rules to operate, which is why we applied to the tender.”

Mr Meerveld’s requete (a political petition) will ask the States to back plans to allow douzaines to give food waste to whoever they want and to back promoting competition and the authorisation of sites that meet criteria for receiving food waste.

“Every deputy has the responsibility to support what is best for Guernsey, we believe by relaxing these rules we can create local employment, generate revenue for the island and reduce our carbon footprint," he said.

Mr Meerveld said the STSB had created a "State-sponsored monopoly" when it came down to dealing with food waste.

STSB President, Deputy Peter Roffey, warned of the involvement of deputies in supporting failed bidders for contract, and said the process had been "fair and transparent".

“We are on a slippery slope if we start undermining procurement processes by championing unsuccessful firms," he said.

Mr Tilleard said: “We’re planning to take from households and commercial operators and process it with black soldier flies, and create horticultural fertiliser.

“It’s an entirely 100% environmentally friendly procedure, with no transportation costs and a business that will hire 14 people and pay taxes in Guernsey.”

The announcement on who receives the food waste collection contract will be announced within the next few weeks.