Rubbish and Recycling
Rubbish and Recycling
Please note that this information was provided for the 2022 Local Government Elections and may now be out of date.
New Zealand (including our district) is facing some massive challenges with how we manage our rubbish and recycling. We’re getting a crunch point that is going to mean some big changes, and some major cost increases. We've already seen that in recent years with the increase in costs for rubbish bags, and targeted rates for kerbside collection customers are also likely to continue to increase over the next few years.
In 2019/20, Matamata Piako District sent 12,710 tonnes of waste to landfill. This waste comes from household kerbside waste collections (bags and bins), industrial or commercial activities, and includes commercial, residential and rural residents taking loads to our three transfer stations and, waste taken directly to landfill by private operators. It also includes the tonnage taken out of the district for disposal.
With renewed focus on reducing waste and emissions, recent changes to legislation and regulations have seen a big change in the way rubbish and recycling is managed in New Zealand. Through the Emission reduction Plan there are further changes afoot, and the community interest in waste minimisation is also gaining momentum. Making it cool to be green and environmentally minded.
Our vision is to embrace Zero Waste (Para Kore) and the Circular Economy (Ōhanga āmiomio) as an alternative to the traditional linear economy in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extracts the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life where possible
Our Waste Management and Minimisation Plan has a Zero Waste target by 2038.
What we currently do
- Collect kerbside recycling (1, 2 and 5 only) and general waste from around 9,500 properties within our three main towns and smaller settlements.
- Own and manage (through contract) three refuse stations, that currently accepts recycling, general waste, green waste, and car batteries and domestic quantities (up to 10 litres) of hazardous waste and oil can also be disposed of at our transfer stations for a nominal fee..
- Provide funding for waste minimisation initiatives through the waste minimisation fund
Our current contract for the kerbside collection expires in August 2023. The new contract will see some significant changes to the way we operate our service, what services we provide, and how we manage our waste in general. From 1 July 2023 we will also see a change to the way our Rubbish and Recycling services are funded, with a shift towards more targeted rates. To read more about this, see our Long Term Plan.
What's on the horizon?
Challenges
- Changing environmental standards
Government is working towards a more sustainable future, but they are funding these positive changes by increasing the Waste Disposal Levy (the tax on sending stuff to landfill), and the Emissions Trading Scheme (carbon tax) – these increases are driving up the cost of kerbside collections. The Draft Emissions Reduction Plan includes recommendations for local government with regards to how we manage rubbish and recycling, as well as our closed landfills. Staff are currently reviewing these recommendations to establish how they will impact on what we do. You can read the Draft Emissions Reduction Plan here.
- Changing markets with regards to where recycling can be sent
Offshore markets no longer accept recyclables in the same quantities as previously, requiring New Zealand to find alternative ways of processing these items, or better still, reduce the manufacturing and use of these items.
There is also a drive from the waste industry and local government to standardise kerbside collections across the country to simplify collections and processing. Central government are looking to standardise kerbside collections across the country, and released a report on Recommendations for Standardisation of Kerbside Collections in Aotearoa in 2020. This would be an improvement on our existing kerbside collection service – but that improvement comes at a cost.
- Increasing costs of Kerbside collection
Opportunities
- Council has a Waste Minimisation Contestable Fund.
This is funded through the Waste Disposal Levy, to allocate towards community driven projects to minimise waste headed for landfill. Our focus is minimising food waste, as according to our 2020 waste audit, 35 tonnes of food waste goes to landfill, through kerbside services and private wheelie bins. We know other forms of waste have an impact on the environment, so have welcomed projects for how we can minimise the impact from other forms of waste as well. The grant funding provides opportunities for the community help minimise waste sent to landfill. Visit https://www.mpdc.govt.nz/plans/wmmp to find out more.
- Community interest increasing
Community groups with strong interest in partnering to achieve better environmental outcomes for our communities
- Funding in the current LTP to develop resource recovery centres in Matamata, Morrinsville and upgrade the Te Aroha Transfer station recycling centres.
A resource recovery centre could include services like an op-shop, a rural recycling collection point, or the salvage of clothing, building materials and so on that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Questions to consider
- How can Council partner with others to drive behaviour change towards achieving better environmental outcomes for our communities?
- Who should pay for it?
