In East Sussex and Brighton & Hove we are producing 400,000 tonnes of rubbish each year. This means that every ninety minutes enough rubbish is produced to fill your local swimming pool.

In the past most of this waste has simply been put into landfill sites, but continuing to dispose of all our rubbish in this way is putting increasing pressure on our environment. Available landfill space is fast running out and there are now new government targets for recycling and recovery which need to be met. Limiting the use of landfill is also in line with Government policy on landfill avoidance of untreated waste.

In April 2003, East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council awarded Veolia Environmental Services a 25 year contract for the delivery of an integrated waste management service. To provide the service Veolia Environmental Services formed the local company Veolia ES South Downs. Delivering the integrated waste management service requires the operation, development and construction of a network of strategically placed facilities, designed to increase recycling, composting and recovery and to reduce dependence on scarce local landfill.

Under the contract Veolia Environmental Services is not responsible for the household collection of waste or recyclables. This remains the responsibility of Brighton & Hove City Council and the five District and Borough
councils within East Sussex.