The preferred bidder for a 25-year waste management contract for Bradford and Calderdale has been announced.
A detailed analysis and valuation of the bids has now been completed. The evaluation criteria was agreed by both councils in 2008 when the decision was taken to go out to tender.
Bradford and Calderdale councillors discussed the outcome of the evaluation process at their respective Council meetings and both confirmed the appointment of Earth Tech/Skanska (ETS) as the preferred bidder.
The next stage in the process will be the award of a contract which is expected to take place next year.
The company will now start consultations in preparation for the submission of a planning application for a multi-million pound waste treatment plant on an eight acre site at Bowling Back Lane, Bradford.
The proposed plant will provide a fully integrated facility incorporating the latest environmentally-friendly technology to recover recyclables from the waste stream and recover energy by generating electricity using the remaining waste. The energy generated will be enough to power about 20,000 homes.
The process will offer a more sustainable alternative to depositing household waste to landfill sites which is not only costly but also harms the environment.
Calderdale's Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment, Coun Barry Collins, said:
"This will provide a long-term solution to managing waste from Calderdale and Bradford with both economic and environmental advantages for both areas.
"Constantly increasing landfill tax and the harm inflicted on the environment by sending our waste to landfill meant that we had no choice but to come up with a sustainable alternative which was more cost-effective and environmentally friendly."
Coun Andrew Thornton, Bradford Council's Executive Member for Environment and Sport, said: "This project will secure a method of managing waste from Calderdale and Bradford for the next 25 years and beyond. This will lead to an increase in recycling rates and a high level of diversion from landfill.
"It will also provide benefits in terms of creating jobs and securing investment."