Concrete crushing creates cost cuts for Whakatane

Crushing concrete waste dumped at the Recycling Park and using it as base course in road construction is set to save Whakatane District ratepayers nearly $7,000 this year.

The Council recently launched a project to crush concrete waste dumped at the Recycling Park. At least 1,600 tonnes have been recovered to date and will be used in road construction, reducing the demand for new materials.

“By diverting this material into other uses, the Council is contributing to meeting goals in its Zero Waste Strategy. This waste would otherwise have found its way to the landfill”, says the Council’s Director of Works and Services Haydn Read.

“We are not only saving ratepayers some money by re-using the crushed concrete, but we are also reducing our demand for the use of virgin materials, thereby conserving our natural resources.”

Following the opening of Whakatane Recycling Park in April 2006, the Council introduced a new waste collection system. The new system saw the introduction of kerbside recycling, green waste collection service and smaller rubbish bins, in support of the Council’s Zero Waste Management Strategy.

The Burma Road landfill is scheduled to close in December 2009 and the Council is currently investigating options for the future disposal of waste. These options include transporting waste out of the district at considerably higher cost. Working towards achieving the Zero Waste Strategy objectives provides an incentive for the District as they will significantly assist reducing the costs related with the proposed transportation of our waste outside our district for disposal.