infonews.co.nz
INDEX
WASTE

Waste Minimisation -Draft Waste Plan - feedback wanted

Tuesday 28 September 2010, 2:29PM

By Whakatane District Council

492 views

WHAKATANE

Two community open days will be held in Whakatane to provide residents with an opportunity
to feedback on the Whakatane District Council’s Draft Waste Management and Minimisation
Plan.

The Plan opened for public consultation on Friday 24 September with submissions set to
close on Tuesday 26 October 2010, is part of the Council’s efforts to developing a strategy
and action plan to the address the increasing costs to the community of waste disposal

The Council’s 2009/10 financial report showed the cost of transporting waste has almost
doubled since the Burma Road landfill closed in 2009, costing ratepayers over $500,000 per
year.

Whakatane District has low recycling rate, currently at 16.7% which is much lower than high
performers like Porirua City at 48%.

Chief Executive Diane Turner said the Council is investigating a number of options to reduce
the cost of waste removal in the long-term.

“Beginning in October this year, the Council is encouraging people to mix their food scraps
such as banana peels, potato peels and other similar food scraps with their green waste
along side a trial with some volunteer households to measure how much waste each
household can realistically recycle or reduce. This information will guide further actions and
options that the Council can adopt to encourage people to reduce and recycle waste at the
household level.”

Ms Turner also said implementing the plan will have significant environmental benefits for the
district. The plan’s main goal is to reduce the amount of waste transported to the landfill by
30% per person by 2015 and by 80% by 2025.

Other initiatives being investigated include a composting plant and a new local landfill site.

The open days will be held in the former Briscoes building in the Esplanade Mall Whakatane
on Wednesday September 29 and Friday October 8, from 11am to 2pm

A copy of the Waste Management Minimisation plan is available from the Council website
www.whakatane.govt.nz or phone 07 306 0500.