Dover Harbour Board has signed a new contract with service provider Mitie to handle waste management at the Port of Dover, including the seafront, cruise terminals and Dover Cargo Terminal. The agreement is for three years, with the option to extend for two additional years.
The contract will see the company support Dover Harbour Board with its aim to achieve net zero carbon across all its operations. It will work to minimise waste over the 95-hectare site, which was visited by over 6m passengers last year, delivering sustainability-focused waste management through a range of circular economy focused initiatives.
New initiatives include increasing the port’s capacity for recycling, working with port vendors to replace use of single-use plastics with more sustainable products, and donating or selling redundant furniture, with the profits going to social enterprises. Working in partnership with regional suppliers, the company will also offer solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintain zero waste to landfill, such as sending green waste for composting and food waste for anaerobic digestion.
It will bring its best-in-class waste data reporting tool. For the first time, the Dover Harbour Board will have detailed carbon data across its whole estate incorporated into its current waste cycle reporting, to get further insight into where waste could be eliminated. Mitie will also introduce on-site container storage so that waste can be stored and compacted meaning more waste can be carried by vehicles, therefore reducing the carbon emissions associated with waste removal.
Waste and Environmental Services managing director Michael Taylor said:
“We have a track record of delivering sustainability focused waste management to ports around the UK, led by our ‘resource, not waste’ philosophy. With our strong network of local suppliers in Dover, we look forward to supporting the UK’s busiest international ferry port in achieving its carbon reduction targets.”
Port of Dover head of safety, quality and environment Vicki Beatty said: “Sustainability is integral to everything we do at the Port of Dover. Alongside our ambitious net zero targets, we have committed to several continuous improvement targets to ensure zero environmental harm from our operations and maintaining zero waste to landfill. We look forward to partnering with Mitie to minimise waste, emissions from transport of waste and eliminate single-use plastics across the Port site.”
