AN impending sale of Somerset waste contractor SUEZ will not affect recycling collections, residents were assured this week.

SUEZ has eight years remaining of a contract with Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP), which represents the county’s five local authorities.

Last year, it merged with rival French company Veolia, but the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been looking at whether the deal was damaging to market competition.

Ahead of a CMA announcement, Veolia has now said it will sell Suez UK to Australian financial group Macquarie for £2.02 billion.

SWP spokesman Mark Ford said this week: “SWP has a contract with SUEZ that runs until 2030 to provide the current waste services.

“This should not be affected by any sale, were it to happen, so there should be no impact on staff or residents.

“All partners within SWP are kept updated about matters of interest like this.”