WASTE management and recycling company BIFFA is set to continue managing key waste facilities across Argyll and Bute after securing a new five-year contract with the council.
The agreement will extend a relationship stretching back more than 25 years and will see the waste management company continue operating five waste transfer stations and five household waste recycling centres across the area.
The new contract is due to begin in spring 2027, following a six-month extension to the existing waste management agreement, and includes the option of a further two-year extension.
Biffa will also be responsible for managing the closure and restoration of Argyll and Bute’s two remaining active landfill sites.
The council has been working towards replacing its long-running waste Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract, which was originally established in September 2001. Council papers previously confirmed that officers had been working with legal, procurement, finance and waste management specialists to procure a replacement arrangement.
Biffa became involved in the existing contract following its takeover of Renewis UK municipal operations. Argyll and Bute Council noted that change of operator in June 2024.
Under the latest agreement, Biffa says it plans to invest in a new vehicle fleet as well as measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions and improving the sustainability of its operations.
Keith Sinfield, Biffa’s Managing Director of Treatment, said the company was pleased to continue working with the council.
“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Argyll and Bute Council,” he said.
“Over the past 25 years, we have worked together through significant change, most recently adapting our operations to prepare for Scotland’s incoming landfill ban legislation.”
Managing waste across Argyll and Bute presents particular logistical challenges, with the council area encompassing remote mainland communities and inhabited islands, meaning some waste has to be transported by ferry.
Andy Summers, Argyll and Bute Council’s Head of Roads and Infrastructure Services, said Biffa’s experience of those challenges had been important in delivering services.
“We are very pleased to extend our contract with Biffa and build on the strong partnership that has developed between us,” he said.
“Biffa’s experience of operating in Argyll and Bute, and its understanding of the challenges involved in serving our remote and rural communities, has been essential in delivering reliable and sustainable waste management services for residents and customers.”
The new contract comes amid major changes to the way residual waste is handled across Scotland.
A ban on sending biodegradable municipal waste to landfill formally came into force on December 31, 2025. However, environmental regulator SEPA introduced a temporary regulatory position which means limited quantities can continue to be landfilled during 2026 and 2027, with full implementation expected after December 31, 2027.
