2010 ANNUAL REPORT - Watercare

WATERCARE SERVICES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2010Trade Waste ControlWatercare works with approximately 580 customers in administering the TradeWaste Bylaw. The company sets out to:ÌÌ Preserve safe working conditions in the sewer network and the MangereWastewater Treatment PlantÌÌ Protect the integrity of the wastewater treatment processÌÌ Ensure the longevity of the sewer network and the reticulation assetsÌÌ Enhance the potential for the reuse of treated biosolidsÌÌ Assist in ensuring that wastewater treatment plant discharges meet consentrequirements.As the regulator, Watercare is responsible for enforcing trade waste compliance.The number of customers complying with consent conditions in 2009/10 hasimproved. Trade waste staff have been continuing to work closely with industry toeducate customers on their waste discharges, improvement of treatment processes,and reduction of waste volumes.Watercare is seeking an amendment to the Trade Wastes Bylaw in order to achieveequitable charging for trade waste services following the integration of wastewaterservices in Auckland on 1 November 2010.RecyclingThe quantity of recyclable waste going to landfill increased slightly this year.It was identified that the integration project may divert staff attention resultingin more non-Watercare staff in the workplace and less recycling. In response,waste minimisation signage and bin labelling was increased and standardised.This year around 70 per cent of the waste sent to landfill is incapable of beingrecycled, consistent with last year, according to independent analysis by Waste Not.WeblinksStoriesZero waste expandsFigures:Trade waste customers Fig. 16Trade waste sampling programme Fig. 17Key trade waste substances Fig. 18Materials and chemicals Fig. 19Biosolids metal levels Fig. 20Wastewater treatment plant effluent discharge Fig. 21Treated wastewater standards Fig. 22Solids disposal Fig. 23Weight of hazardous substances in waste Fig. 24Trade Waste Compliance Advisor Hamish Jones gathers a sample at ChemWaste in Onehunga,Auckland; pictured with ChemWaste’s Technical Operations Manager Colin Jowett.This leaves 30 per cent of waste which is still suitable for composting or reuse.Planning is underway to promote waste minimisation measures to new staff joiningWatercare. The waste minimisation initiative is led by employees who volunteer toparticipate in the company’s Zero Waste programme.Paper UseWatercare paper use per employee remained unchanged, with 12.2 reams of paperconsumed per office-based employee this year, despite the increased staff andworkload involved with integration of the water industry.Paper use is measured against the Ministry for the Environment’s benchmarkof 11 reams of paper per office-based employee per year.Objective 2 Promote Cleaner Production to Industry and Minimise WasteA. Trade waste control (progers@water.co.nz)% customer compliance with consent conditions 91% 92% 93% 94% 95% 96% 97% 98% 99% 100%B. Recycling (rgallagher@water.co.nz)% waste going to landfill that could be recycled 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%C. Paper use (rgallagher@water.co.nz)Number of paper reams used per office-based employee 28 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10TargetTargetTarget20107/102006 2007 2008 20097 5 5 620107/102006 2007 2008 20095.5 6.5 7.5 7.520109/10MINISTRY FOR THEENVIRONMENT BENCHMARK2006 2007 2008 20096.5 7.5 8.5 9Impact on key areas:SocialEconomicEnvironmentalPromote cleaner production to industryand minimise wasteOverall performance scores out of 102006 2007 2008 20096.5 6.5 7 7.52010826