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Auckland ready to tackle waste

Thursday 21 June 2012, 10:43AM

By Auckland Council

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AUCKLAND

Auckland now has its first region-wide plan for tackling waste to reduce harm to the environment and help ensure Auckland is the world's most liveable city.

Auckland Council today adopted a new Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP) to reduce the 1.2 million tonnes of waste Auckland currently sends to landfill each year - an amount that would cover the rugby field at Eden Park to twice the height of the Sky Tower annually.

Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse says the plan, well supported in public submissions, provides a blueprint for reducing household and commercial waste during the next few years and beyond.

"About 80 per cent of submitters supported the target of a 30 per cent reduction in domestic kerbside waste sent to landfill by 2018. Now it's time to roll up our sleeves and work with the waste industry, businesses, local boards and the community to achieve this ambitious goal."

Councillor Hulse says the actions outlined in the plan will be rolled out in stages during the next few years, following work to ensure households and businesses are prepared for changes.

"Major changes to kerbside collections will not start until 2015, as current contracts expire. A lot of communication and community education will happen prior to ensure people know how they can reduce waste and keep user-changes to a minimum, particularly in Manukau and central Auckland where disposer-pays for rubbish will be new but where targeted rates for rubbish collection will reduce."

Cr Hulse allayed fears illegal dumping would spike when disposer-pays is introduced across Auckland.

"Council data shows illegal dumping did not increase when the former North Shore and Waitakere councils made the change to disposer pays. By carrying out comprehensive education, monitoring and enforcement action as they did we're confident any increase in illegal dumping will be limited.

"It's important to note, too, that householders will be able to choose the size of refuse bin they use and how often they put it out for collection. So even if additional rubbish is added by another person, the householder will not pay more, as the charge is per lift, not by weight."

Councillor Noelene Raffills, who chaired the hearings panel on the draft WMMP, says the final plan adopted shows councillors have listened to the public and addressed various community and industry concerns.

"We've recognised the need for flexible options for rural areas, the Hauraki Gulf islands and multi-unit dwellings for example. We've also responded to feedback about working collaboratively with the waste industry, community groups and others to pilot, develop or implement solutions."

Key elements of the WMMP include: * standardising the way households pay for refuse collection (by extending disposer-pays region wide) and introducing wheelie bins across the region, with a choice of bin sizes from 60 litre to 240 litre in urban areas and the option of a pre-paid bag for rural areas and the Hauraki Gulf islands; * retaining a rates-funded recycling collection, with a choice of wheelie bins ranging in size from 140 litre to 360 litre and an increase in the range of recyclables accepted; * introducing a rates-funded organic waste collection in urban areas; * providing a rates-funded inorganic collection for households regionwide; * implementing communications and community engagement activity to help householders and businesses adapt to the changes and reduce waste to landfill.