Provision of Leachate Tankering Services

EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL (The Council) is seeking tenders from suitably qualified suppliers to provide Leachate Tankering Services. The County Council, as Waste Disposal Authority (WDA), must ensure that its old landfill sites, operated since 1974, do not pose a threat to the environment. Landfill gas and leachate are of primary concern. The WDA arranges for the disposal of between 28,000 and 45,000 m³ of leachate each year from five former landfill sites around the County. Leachate is the liquid that drains or 'leaches' from a landfill. It varies widely in composition depending on the age of the landfill and the type of waste that it contains. It usually contains both dissolved and suspended material. This material if left uncollected or not properly disposed can be harmful to the environment. Currently the County Council manages the leachate from five landfill sites across the county, by tankering it from these sites to Pebsham Landfill Transfer Station (approx. 36,000m³ per annum). This involves one lorry every day (5 loads of 20m³, 25,000m³/year) plus additional 1 or 2 lorries during the wettest period to a maximum of 15 loads per day during exceptionally wet conditions. These amounts vary and are generally driven by weather conditions. The handling and disposal of Leachate is regulated under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations and guidance issued by the Environment Agency. The Council in following these guidelines and regulations has a contract for tankering which ends on 20 August 2026. There is a need to continue this service, to ensure the Council as WDA meets its responsibilities for the handling and disposal of Leachate.