Requete Lodged On Waste Disposal

Deputy John Dyke and his supporters hope to open up Guernsey's waste market to competition.

Among the required seven signatories to the requete is the new president of P&R, deputy Lyndon Trott.

The deputies want to create a market for waste disposal, by allowing the parishes and douzaines to choose where they send their home and business waste for processing.

Currently, it can only go to sites selected by the States Trading Supervisory Board, or STSB.

At the heart of the requete is a desire to introduce competition to the waste economy:

'Your petitioners seek to ensure that the States of Guernsey do not create de facto monopolies for waste disposal, preventing entrepreneurs from providing competitive offerings.'

The requete goes on to ask that STSB explore the opportunity for processing waste locally and not sign any agreements that would stop local companies entering the market.

The signatories say they know of firms locally that would like to be able to handle waste.

Currently, Guernsey's waste is shredded and bundled by the States at Longue Hougue for shipment to an incinerator in Sweden.

The majority of recycled materials are sent to a local firm for shipment to the UK.

Guernsey Waste is projecting a £500,000 loss this year and has introduced gate charges for large household items taken for recycling at Longue Hougue.