Hurunui District council considering cheaper recycling proposal

The Hurunui District Council is facing one of its toughest decisions as it attempts to ward off unacceptable price hikes to provide waste and recycling services. The cost of delivering this service has seen marked increases particularly in the past 2 years. Both the Council and its Hurunui Waste Minimisation and Management Board have been troubled by the growing cost of managing the District’s waste.

Ongoing concern regarding the rising costs of managing the District’s waste and recycling services have prompted the Hurunui District Council and the Council’s Waste Minimisation and Management Board to collectively identify and investigate alternative methods of dealing with waste in order to minimise the cost to the District’s ratepayers. Council’s Mayor, Garry Jackson has said, “We keep hearing a repeated message from people in the District to keep up the good work regarding recycling but to keep the costs realistic. This message came out clearly during the Draft Annual Plan public meetings, so in response to public feedback, the Council and the Waste Minimisation and Management Board have considered a proposal received from Becon Canterbury Ltd, which would enable an enhanced recycling service to be provided to the District’s ratepayers, whilst allowing savings to the approved solid waste budget to be made”.

The solid waste budget has continually risen during recent years, with the budget for the coming financial year having risen to $1.4 million, this being an increase from $1.27 million for 07/08, $1.25 million during 06/07, and $1.03 million during 05/06. Such rises, have been driven primarily by fuel prices and increasing recycling collection and processing costs, as the District continues to grow.

Up until now, all of the Council’s recycling services, including running the Amberley Transfer Station have been undertaken by Hurunui Recycling. Hurunui District Council’s Acting Mayor, Michael Malthus says, “Hurunui Recycling has provided an invaluable service to the wider Hurunui community and the Council for several years. The founders of Hurunui Recycling are held in very high regard by their many supporters which extend throughout the country. If it hadn’t been for their vision and passionate belief in the impact of waste on the environment, and their countless hours of voluntary labour, there wouldn’t have been any where near the same level of reuse and recycling in the Hurunui They have made a huge impact in reducing the amount of waste that is sent off to landfill”.

“However, the Council and the Waste Minimisation and Management Board are keen to ensure that waste and recycling costs are kept realistic, whilst making sure we continue to minimise waste to landfill and maintain a good level of service at the same time”, Michael Malthus said.

Hurunui District Council has been investigating a proposal received from Becon Canterbury Ltd, and recently considered it through its Draft Annual Plan Process. Deputy Mayor, Michael Malthus said, “We have scrutinised the feasibility of Becon providing a range of waste management services that would ensure the optimum recovery and recycling of material from Hurunui’s waste stream”.

The proposed changes would enable the environmental and economic efficiency of current practices to be significantly improved and would enable glass to be recycled again, through drop off points at the District’s five transfer stations. New initiatives and systems would also be introduced which would result in significant savings being made during the coming year. Becon have set up a plant in Christchurch which recycles huge quantities of commercial and construction waste, much of which would have previously gone to landfill. It is this new technology which is attractive to the Waste Board, especially as access to it will be made available by utilising the vehicles which presently travel empty back to Christchurch from the Kate Valley Landfill.

Michael Malthus said, “The Becon Canterbury proposal is for an enhanced recycling service at almost $100,000 less than the Council’s proposed budget for the 2008/09 year. By comparison, should Hurunui District Council stay with Hurunui Recycling and accept its glass recycling proposal, an additional $435,000 over the approved $1.4 million will need to be found”.

Michael Malthus said, “The issue has not been treated lightly by Council or the Waste Board. Hurunui Recycling has provided a valuable service to our District for some time and if we go with another provider, there will be negative consequences for the people at Hurunui Recycling. This does not sit well with us, knowing that the future of Hurunui Recycling is possibly in jeopardy without Council as their main customer.” The Hurunui District Council has decided to put the recycling issue out to the public to give people the chance to have their say about the Becon Canterbury’s proposal to provide the District’s recycling services. This consultation will commence in early June and will be widely advertised. A decision about the Council’s future recycling provider is expected to be made around early August, after having considered feedback received via the consultation procedure.