Hunter Resource Recovery (Collection)

Hunter Resource Recovery, on behalf of itself and its Member Councils (Cessnock City Council, Lake Macquarie City Council, Maitland City Council and Singleton Shire Council), is seeking authorisation for 12 years to jointly procure (through a tender process) and contract for kerbside dry recyclate collection in each Member Council’s Local Government Area.

Particularly, Hunter Resource Recovery is seeking authorisation to:

(a) do all things necessary to give effect to the contract between HRR and Solo Resource Recovery that was entered into as a result of authorisation A91289;

(b) do all things necessary to give effect to any contracting between HRR and its Member Councils with respect to the proposed conduct;

(c) invite and evaluate tenders on behalf of the Member Councils for a joint recycling contract for the collection of recyclables collected from the Member Councils’ residents and businesses;

(d) engage in all necessary discussions between HRR and its Member Councils in order to conduct the tender and select the successful tenderer; and

(e) enter into and manage a contract with the successful tenderer for a period of ten years and two extensions of one year each.

Hunter Resource Recovery has also sought interim authorisation for the proposed conduct to enable it to commence the process.

Related application

Hunter Resource Recovery, on behalf of itself, its Member Councils, (Cessnock City Council, Lake Macquarie City Council, Maitland City Council and Singleton Shire Council), and each of Dungog Shire Council, Muswellbrook Shire Council and Upper Hunter Shire Council, is also seeking authorisation for 25 years to jointly procure (through a tender process) and contract for the establishment of a recycling processing and sorting facility.

Please see related public register page AA1000647.

These two related applications by Hunter Resource Recovery are being managed and assessed simultaneously by the ACCC. All documents relating to both authorisation applications AA1000647 and AA1000648 will be made available on the public register page for AA1000647.

On 31 January 2024, the ACCC issued a determination granting authorisation to Hunter Resource Recovery:

1. to enable Hunter Resource Recovery, its member councils, Cessnock City Council, Lake Macquarie City Council, Maitland City Council and Singleton Shire Council, and each of the regional councils of Dungog Shire Council, Muswellbrook Shire Council and Upper Hunter Shire Council to jointly procure and contract for the establishment of a recycling processing and sorting facility, for 27 years; and
2. to enable Hunter Resource Recovery, and its member councils, Cessnock City Council, Lake Macquarie City Council, Maitland City Council and Singleton Shire Council, to jointly procure and contract for kerbside dry recyclate collection in each Council’s Local Government Area, for 14 years.

Authorisation AA1000647 for processing is granted until 31 January 2051. Authorisation AA1000648 for collection is granted until 31 January 2038.

The determination is available here.