New Direction For Waste - Community Say Wanted

A draft document that sets a new direction in waste management in the Queenstown Lakes District for the next six years is now open to public submission.

The Draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan builds on the innovations of the 2003 Waste Management Strategy, which introduced initiatives like kerbside recycling.

“In 2008 the government legislated for Councils to promote effective and efficient waste minimisation. Council set up a community working party last year to review the existing strategy.” Solid Waste Working Party Chairman and Deputy Mayor Lyal Cocks said.

The Council and the community had choices about how it dealt with waste.

“We have introduced some great initiatives and we now achieve a 29% diversion from the landfill compared with 10% in 2006. Waste minimisation has a cost and we need to think about being even smarter in terms of reducing the impact of waste on our environment,” Mr Cocks said.

The proposed new plan filled statutory gaps and identified a number of issues to address including:

• Reduction of construction and demolition waste to landfill.
• Improvement in town centres appearance through better refuse and recycling systems.
• Organic waste management.

Proposals needed to be carefully considered.

“It might be your view that the plan does not go far enough, others might feel it’s too prescriptive, for example the proposed licensing and registration of private clean fill sites. Either way you need to have a say,” Mr Cocks said.

“I really encourage everyone in the community to take a look at the draft plan. There is something in it, whether residents or business people that will affect the way you deal with waste,’ Mr Cocks said.

The document was available now online www.qldc.govt.nz or at Council offices and libraries. Submissions could also be made online or by mail or email. The submission period ends Friday 23 September, 2011 and hearings would be held on 30 October 2011. 

Discussion Document