# Biffa > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Biffa > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Biffa.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biffa > Source revision: 1356327406 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Biffa Limited** is a [waste management](/source/Waste_management) company headquartered in [High Wycombe](/source/High_Wycombe), England. It provides [collection](/source/Waste_collection), [landfill](/source/Landfill), [recycling](/source/Recycling) and [special waste](/source/Special_waste) services to [local authorities](/source/Local_authorities) and [industrial](/source/Industrial_sector) and [commercial](/source/Commerce) clients in the United Kingdom. In 2017 it was the UK's second-largest waste-management company.[2] It was listed on the [London Stock Exchange](/source/London_Stock_Exchange) until it was acquired by the [private-equity firm](/source/Private-equity_firm) [Energy Capital Partners](/source/Energy_Capital_Partners) in January 2023.[3] ## History The company, which was originally engaged in the removal and sale of ashes and [clinker](/source/Clinker_(waste)) from London power stations, was founded in [Wembley](/source/Wembley) by Richard Henry Biffa as Richard Biffa Limited, in 1912.[4] In 1958 Richard Henry Biffa's grandson, Richard Charles Biffa, joined the business and after becoming general manager in 1963, grew the business organically and by acquisition.[4] The business was acquired by [British Electric Traction](/source/British_Electric_Traction) in 1971 and by [Severn Trent](/source/Severn_Trent) for £212 million in 1991.[4] It acquired the American-owned UK Waste for £380 million in 2000.[5] Severn Trent [demerged](/source/Demerger) the company to a consortium formed by [Global Infrastructure Partners](/source/Global_Infrastructure_Partners), [Montagu Private Equity](/source/Montagu_Private_Equity) and [Uberior Co-Investment](/source/Bank_of_Scotland) in 2008.[4] It acquired recycling firm Greenstar UK for £135 million in 2010.[6] The company was re-listed on the [London Stock Exchange](/source/London_Stock_Exchange) on 17 October 2016.[7] In June 2022, Biffa received a buyout proposal from [private-equity firm](/source/Private-equity_firm) Energy Capital Partners at £4.45 a share, a 37% premium to the share price, valuing the company at £1.36 billion.[8][9] In January 2023, the takeover was agreed, with shareholders receiving 410 pence per share and the shares were suspended on the London Stock Exchange on 27 January 2023.[10] ## Operations Biffa covers 95% of the UK. The company runs two [Material Recycling Facilities](/source/Materials_recovery_facility) (MRF).[11] ## Prosecutions for illegal activities Biffa has been prosecuted for the following breaches of environmental waste export laws: - The company was convicted of four breaches of waste shipment regulations during the period 2018–2019.[12] - The company was convicted of attempting to export used nappies and materials illegally in 2020.[13] - In 2021, the company was found guilty in a case brought about by the [Environment Agency](/source/Environment_Agency), having attempted to illegally export banned household waste items, including plastic bags, tins, clothing and condoms - incorrectly identified as waste paper. The company was fined £1.5 million, and severely rebuked by Judge Shane Collery QC, who described Biffa as "having shown no contrition" for this crime, referring to their actions as "reckless, bordering on deliberate".[14] ## See also - [List of waste management companies](/source/List_of_waste_management_companies) ## References 1. ["Annual Report 2021"](https://www.biffa.co.uk/-/media/files/investors/annual-report/fy21/biffa-annual-report-and-accounts-fy21-final.ashx). Biffa. Retrieved 16 February 2022. 1. Flanagan, Martin (23 September 2017). ["Business Interview: Biffa chief Ian Wakelin"](http://www.scotsman.com/business/business-interview-biffa-chief-ian-wakelin-1-4568300). *[The Scotsman](/source/The_Scotsman)*. Retrieved 25 September 2017. 1. ["Energy Capital Partners (ECP) Completes Acquisition of Biffa"](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/energy-capital-partners-ecp-completes-acquisition-of-biffa-301732018.html/). PR Newswire. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023. 1. ["Biffa looking forward after 100 years"](https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/biffa-looking-forward-after-100-years/). Let's Recycle. 24 December 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2020. 1. ["Severn Trent to buy UK Waste"](https://citywire.co.uk/funds-insider/news/severn-trent-to-buy-uk-waste/a208163). [Citywire](/source/Citywire). 5 June 2000. Retrieved 6 March 2020. 1. ["Biffa owners acquire Greenstar for £135m"](https://environment-analyst.com/mis/27451/biffa-owners-acquire-greenstar-for-135m). Environment Analyst. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2020. 1. Bury, Rhiannon (14 June 2017). ["Biffa profits hit by costs of London float"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/06/14/biffa-profits-hit-costs-london-float/). *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*. Retrieved 18 September 2017. 1. Alabi, Leke Oso (7 June 2022). ["UK waste manager Biffa receives takeover bid"](https://www.ft.com/content/21ea9096-e3e1-4fb6-9a51-18ce441eccd8). *[Financial Times](/source/Financial_Times)*. Retrieved 8 June 2022. 1. Karimi, Amna (7 June 2022). ["Waste-management specialist Biffa soars on $1.7 billion buyout proposal"](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-biffa-gets-17-bln-buyout-offer-2022-06-07/). *[Reuters](/source/Reuters)*. Retrieved 8 June 2022. 1. ["US private equity firm completes Biffa acquisition"](https://resource.co/article/us-private-equity-firm-completes-biffa-acquisition). *Resource.co*. Retrieved 2025-07-30. 1. ["How a fifth of all recycling sent to one north London plant is just burnt, fuelling the capital's dirty air crisis"](https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/how-a-fifth-of-all-recycling-sent-to-one-nlwa-3642210). [Hackney Gazette](/source/Hackney_Gazette). 24 October 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2021. 1. ["Waste firm fined £1.5m for illegal exports of rubbish"](https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2021-07-30/waste-firm-fined-15m-for-illegal-exports-of-rubbish). *[ITV News](/source/ITV_News)*. 30 July 2021. 1. ["UK waste firm Biffa loses appeal after exporting dirty waste to China"](http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/03/uk-waste-firm-biffa-loses-appeal-after-exporting-dirty-waste-to-china). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. 3 July 2020. 1. ["UK waste firm fined £1.5m for exporting household waste"](http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/30/uk-waste-firm-fined-15m-for-exporting-household-waste). *The Guardian*. 30 July 2021. ## External links - [Official website](https://www.biffa.co.uk/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Biffa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biffa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biffa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.