1.2 Purpose of this waste assessment - Waikato District Council

2011Waikato District CouncilWASTEASSESSMENT

Prepared by Waste Not Consulting Ltd and Eunomia Research & Consulting Ltd in 2011.

Contents1.0 Introduction 61.1 Legislative context 61.2 Purpose of this waste assessment 61.3 Scope 61.3.1 General 61.3.2 Consideration of solid, liquid and gaseous wastes 71.3.3 Public health issues 71.3.4 Health Act 1956 71.3.5 The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (the HSNO Act) 81.3.6 Resource Management Act (1991) (RMA) 81.3.7 Key waste management public health issues 81.3.8 Management of public health issues 81.4 Waikato district 91.5 Summary of waste management in the district 111.6 Available documentation 112.0 Waste infrastructure 122.1 Residual waste disposal 122.1.1 Landfill disposal facilities 122.1.2 Closed landfills 132.1.3 Cleanfills 132.1.4 Assessment of residual waste disposal infrastructure 152.2 Transfer stations and recycling depots 162.2.1 Raglan Xtreme Waste recycling depot 172.2.2 Assessment of transfer station infrastructure and operation 172.3 Recycling and reprocessing facilities 172.3.1 Assessment of recycling and reprocessing facilities 183.0 Waste management in Waikato district 193.1 Council-contracted services 193.1.1 Funding 193.1.2 Services 203.1.3 Kerbside collections 213.1.4 Other council services 22Waikato District Council waste assessment 20111

3.1.5 Assessment of council services 223.2 Non-council services 223.2.1 Assessment of non-council services 223.3 Solid waste bylaw 223.3.1 Assessment of solid waste bylaw 233.4 Waste education and minimisation programmes 234.0 Waste within Waikato district 244.1 Introduction 244.2 Waste flows in Waikato district 244.2.1 Landfilled waste quantities for Waikato district 254.2.2 Diverted materials quantities for Waikato district 264.2.3 Waste composition in Waikato district 274.3 Comparisons with other districts 284.3.1 Council market share of kerbside refuse services 284.3.2 Kerbside refuse as a proportion of waste to landfill 284.3.3 Per capita waste to landfill 294.3.4 Per capita diverted materials 294.3.5 Comparisons with other districts – waste to landfill 304.4 Methodology for estimating waste tonnages and composition 314.4.1 Kerbside refuse collections 314.5 Kerbside recycling collections 334.6 Service user feedback 344.7 Summary and conclusions 344.7.1 Potential for further diversion 345.0 Waste flows in and out of Waikato district 356.0 Future demand and gap analysis 376.1 Future demand 376.1.1 Demographic factors 376.1.2 Commercial activity 386.1.3 Innovative community waste management 396.2 Future demand – gap analysis 396.2.1 Data and monitoring 396.2.2 Regulation 396.2.3 Waste streams 396.2.4 Charging mechanisms 402

6.2.5 Economic development 406.2.6 Rural waste sources 406.2.7 Communication and education 417.0 Statement of options 427.1 Addressing demand 427.1.1 Data and monitoring 427.1.2 Regulation 427.1.3 Waste streams 427.1.4 Charging mechanisms 437.1.5 Economic development 437.1.6 Rural waste sources 437.1.7 Communication and education 437.2 Other waste management and minimisation issues 447.2.1 Collection services 447.2.2 Recovery and treatment services and facilities 447.2.3 Hazardous and special wastes 447.2.4 Disposal 447.2.5 Producer responsibility 448.0 Statement of the council’s intended role 458.1 Statutory obligations 458.2 Overall strategic direction and role 459.0 Statement of proposals 479.1 Communication, education and consultation 479.1.1 Community partnerships 479.1.2 Communication and consultation 479.1.3 Education 479.1.4 Regional partnerships 479.2 Taking direct action, fostering new ideas 479.2.1 Waste Management Sector Working Group 479.3 Changing the rules, monitoring and feedback 479.3.1 Waste bylaw 479.3.2 Review waste charges 479.3.3 Enforcement 489.3.4 Solid waste analysis surveys 489.3.5 Monitor waste flows 48Waikato District Council waste assessment 20113

9.4 Recyclable commodities 489.4.1 Maintain/expand kerbside collection 489.4.2 Commercial recycling collection 489.4.3 Drop-off facilities 489.4.4 RTS facilities 489.4.5 Transport 499.5 Food and garden waste 499.5.1 Food waste collection 499.5.2 Garden waste collection 499.6 Inorganic/C&D/litter 499.6.1 C&D waste 499.6.2 Inorganic waste 499.6.3 Litter bins and collection 499.6.4 Illegal dumping 499.7 Hazardous/liquid/gaseous wastes 499.7.1 Biosolids 499.7.2 Hazardous wastes 499.8 Residual waste 509.8.1 Residual waste collections 509.8.2 Transfer and disposal 50A.1.0 Medical officer of health statement 51A.2.0 Factors affecting future demand 53A.2.1 Population and household growth 53A.2.2 Economic growth 54A.2.3 Recycling markets 54A.2.4 Central government policy & legislation 55A.2.5 Changes in lifestyles and consumption 59A.3.0 Councillor workshop 61A.3.1 Introduction 61A.3.1.1 Date & time 61A.3.1.2 Purpose 61A.3.2 Agenda 61A.3.3 Plenary session 62A.3.3.1 Current services 62A.3.3.2 Facility and processing options 624

Introduction1.1 Legislative contextThe principal solid waste legislation in New Zealand is the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA). The statedpurpose of the WMA is to:“encourage waste minimisation and a decrease in waste disposal in order to(a) protect the environment from harm and(b) provide environmental, social, economic, and cultural benefits.To further its aims, the WMA requires territorial authorities to promote effective and efficient wastemanagement and minimisation within their district. To achieve this, all territorial authorities (TAs) are requiredby the legislation to adopt a waste management and minimisation plan (WMMP). This requirement was firstintroduced in the Local Government Acts 1974 and 2002, and most TAs had adopted a plan prior to the 2008legislation.The WMA requires every TA to complete a formal review of its existing waste management plan by 1 July2012. The review must be consistent with WMA sections 50 and 51. Prior to reviewing its existing plan,Section 50 of the WMA also requires all TAs to prepare a ‘waste assessment’. This document has beenprepared in fulfilment of that requirement.An evaluation of the Waikato District Council’s (the council) existing Waste Management Plan, which wasadopted in 2002, shows that many objectives and projects outlined in the plan have been superseded and theexisting plan does not appear to fulfil the requirements of the WMA. As a result of these issues, the councilhas decided to revoke the existing plan and prepare a new WMMP.In addition, the boundary changes to the Waikato district resulting from the amalgamation of councils in theAuckland region raise many questions around waste management that the council now needs to resolve andincorporate into its waste management planning.1.2 Purpose of this waste assessmentThis waste assessment is intended to provide an initial step to the development of a waste management andminimisation plan (WMMP), and should provide the information necessary to identify the key issues and priorityactions that will be included in the draft WMMP.Section 51 of the WMA outlines the requirements of a waste assessment, which must include:1. A description of the collection, recycling, recovery, treatment, and disposal services provided withinthe territorial authority’s district2. A forecast of future demands3. Astatement of options4. A statement of the territorial authority’s intended role in meeting demands5. A statement of the territorial authority’s proposals for meeting the forecast demands6. A statement about the extent to which the proposals will protect public health, and promote effectiveand efficient waste management and minimisation1.3 Scope1.3.1 GeneralAs well as fulfilling the statutory requirements of the WMA, this waste assessment will build a solid foundation6

that will enable the council to develop its WMMP in an informed and effective manner. In preparingthis document, reference has been made to the Ministry for the Environment’s ‘Waste Management andMinimisation Planning: Guidance for Territorial Authorities’ 1 .A key issue for this waste assessment will be forming a clear picture of waste flows and management options inthe district. The WMA requires that a waste assessment must contain:“A description of the collection, recycling, recovery, treatment, and disposal services provided within theterritorial authority’s district (whether by the territorial authority or otherwise)”.This means that the waste assessment must take into consideration all waste and recycling services carried outby private waste operators as well as its own services. While the council has reliable data on the waste flowsthat it controls, data on those services provided by private industry is very limited. Reliable, regular data onwaste flows is important if the council chooses to include waste reduction targets in the WMMP. Withoutdata, any targets can not be measured.The NZ Waste Strategy 2010 also makes clear that territorial authorities have a statutory authority (under theWMA) to promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisation in their district. This applies toall waste and materials flows in the district, not just those controlled by the council.1.3.2 Consideration of solid, liquid and gaseous wastesIn line with the council’s previous waste management strategies, this assessment is focused on solid waste.The guidance provided by the Ministry for the Environment on preparing Waste Management and MinimisationPlans states that:“Councils need to determine the scope of their WMMP in terms of which wastes and diverted materials are tobe considered within the plan”.The guidance goes on to suggest that liquid or gaseous wastes which are directly managed by the council, orare disposed of to landfill, should be seriously considered for inclusion in a WMMP.The council manages most liquid and gaseous wastes through other strategies, including assessments of services.The council’s Water and Sanitary Services Assessment was completed in 2006 and was updated in the 2009LTCCP. The Water and Sanitary Services Assessment covers management of biosolids from the council’swastewater treatment plants at Te Kauwhata, Huntly, and Tuakau.Other wastes that could potentially be within the scope of the WMMP include gas from landfills and someliquid hazardous wastes. Although there is a large landfill located within the council’s boundary, the council isnot involved in the ownership or operation of this facility and waste disposed of at the landfill originates from alarge area well beyond the boundaries of the Waikato district.Therefore, apart from some liquid hazardous wastes, this waste assessment and the subsequent WMMP willfocus primarily on solid waste.1.3.3 Public health issuesProtecting public health is one of the original reasons for local authority involvement in waste management. Thiswas set out in the Health Act 1956 - although these requirements have now been repealed 2 . The NZ WasteStrategy (2010) contains the twin high level goals of “Reducing the harmful effects of waste”, and “Improvingthe efficiency of resource use”. In terms of addressing waste management in a strategic context, protection ofpublic health can be considered one of the components entailed in ‘reducing harm’.Protection of public health is currently addressed by a number of different pieces of legislation:1.3.4 Health Act 1956The Health Act 1956 places obligations on TAs (if required by the Minister of Health) to provide sanitary worksfor the collection and disposal of refuse, for the purpose of public health protection (Part 2 – Powers andduties of local authorities, s 25). It specifically identifies certain waste management practices as nuisances (s 29)1 Ministry for the Environment (2009), Waste Management and Minimisation Planning: Guidance for TerritorialAuthorities. Wellington. Available on www.mfe.govt.nz.2 Refer: MfE 2009: Waste Management and Minimisation Planning, Guidance for Territorial Authorities.Waikato District Council waste assessment 20117

and offensive trades (Third Schedule). The Health Act enables TAs to raise loans for certain sanitary works and/or to receive government grants and subsidies, where available. 31.3.5 The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996(the HSNO Act)The HSNO Act addresses the management of substances (including their disposal) that pose a significant risk tothe environment and/or human health. The Act relates to waste management primarily through controls on theimport or manufacture of new hazardous materials and the handling and disposal of hazardous substances.Depending on the amount of a hazardous substance on site, the HSNO Act sets out requirements for materialstorage, staff training and certification. These requirements would need to be addressed within operational andhealth and safety plans for waste facilities. Hazardous substances commonly managed by TAs include used oil,household chemicals, asbestos, agrichemicals, LPG and batteries.The HSNO Act provides minimum national standards that may apply to the disposal of a hazardous substance.However, under the RMA a regional council or TA may set more stringent controls relating to the use of landfor storing, using, disposing of or transporting hazardous substances. 41.3.6 Resource Management Act (1991) (RMA)Although the RMA focuses on the environmental effects of activities, in practice there is a significant crossoverbetween environmental impacts and human health impacts. Therefore many waste management activities thatare likely to have public health impacts are controlled through the RMA. This may include site discharges suchas odour, groundwater contamination, particulates and other aerosols, presence of vermin etc.1.3.7 Key waste management public health issuesKey issues that are likely to be of concern in terms of public health include the following:• Management of putrescible wastes• Management of nappy and sanitary wastes Management of putrescible wastes• Management of nappy and sanitary wastes• Potential for dog/seagull/ vermin strike• Timely collection of material• Management of spillage• Litter and illegal dumping• Medical waste from households and healthcare operators• Storage of wastes• Management of hazardous wastes• Private on-site management of wastes (burning, burying, rural waste management etc).1.3.8 Management of public health issuesBroadly speaking, waste management related public health issues are likely to relate more to how specificprocesses are managed than to processes themselves. From a strategic perspective the above issues are likelyto apply to a greater or lesser extent to virtually all options under consideration. For example illegal dumpingtends to take place ubiquitously, irrespective of whatever waste collection and transfer station systems are inplace. Some systems may exacerbate the problem (infrequent collection, user charges, inconveniently locatedfacilities etc.), but by the same token the issues can be managed through methods such as enforcement,education, providing convenient facilities etc.In considering how public health issues should be addressed in the context of this waste assessment the viewis taken that public health issues are likely to present at least some level of risk across all options. Public health3 From: MfE 2009: Waste Management and Minimisation Planning, Guidance for Territorial Authorities.4 From: MfE 2009: Waste Management and Minimisation Planning, Guidance for Territorial Authorities.8

issues should not therefore drive strategic decisions but should be evaluated across all options, and issuesflagged where the level of risk is likely to require specific management controls or interventions, or where therisks are so great as to override other considerations.In most cases public health issues will be able to be addressed through setting appropriate performancestandards for waste service contracts and ensuring performance is monitored and reported on, and that thereare appropriate structures within the contracts for addressing issues that arise.1.4 The Waikato districtThe Waikato district is situated between Auckland, New Zealand’s largest urban centre, to the north, andHamilton, the fourth largest urban centre, to the south – nearly 40 per cent of New Zealand’s population livewithin 150km of the district. The main transport routes between these centres, State Highway 1 and the maintrunk rail line bisect the Waikato district. As a result of this proximity to major population centres and majortransport corridors, several major waste processing and disposal facilities that serve the wider Auckland andWaikato regions are located within the Waikato district.The major towns in the district include Huntly, Ngaruawahia, Raglan, Te Kauwhata and Tuakau.In November 2010, the Waikato district expanded by approximately 100,000 hectares as a result of boundarychanges when the Auckland Council was formed. The Waikato district absorbed a large part of the formerFranklin district area. The district’s southern boundary with Hamilton City was adjusted in May 2011, with partsof Ruakura and Te Rapa formerly in the Waikato district becoming part of Hamilton City.The population is 69 per cent European and 26 per cent Maori, with Pacific and Asian ethnic groups accountingfor the remainder. The median income in the district is $25,700, slightly over the national average ($24,400).Over half of permanent Waikato residents own their own home – 55.2 per cent, compared to 54.5 per centnationally.The Waikato district has a scenic back-drop of native bush, farmland and west coast beaches. The WaikatoRiver flows through the district and is of great significance to the area – a significance which has been formalisedthrough a Joint Management Agreement between the council and Waikato-Tainui.The dairy industry is significant to the local economy in the area, with one of Fonterra’s largest sites beinglocated at Te Rapa (this site is now within the boundaries of Hamilton City). The second most importantindustry is mining – with both coal mining and aggregate and sand extraction being significant industries in thedistrict. In addition the district relies on industry, education, adventure tourism and events.Waikato District Council waste assessment 20119

Figure 1: Waikato districtSource: Waikato District Council (website)10

1.5 Summary of waste management in the districtUnder the current Waste Management Plan (adopted in 2002) the Waikato district has a zero waste policy.This policy includes a target of zero waste to landfill by 2020. As the Waikato district now incorporates partof the Franklin district, the Waste Management Plan adopted in 2006 by the Franklin District Council is alsorelevant.Council provides a range of waste management services to its residents, including a weekly kerbside refuseand recycling collection. Throughout most of the pre-amalgamation boundaries of the district, the kerbsidecollection services are provided by Metrowaste Waikato Ltd on behalf of the council. In Raglan, Xtreme Wasteis the contractor. In addition to the council’s weekly kerbside collection of refuse and recycling, there is anannual inorganic rubbish collection that is contracted to Metrowaste Waikato Ltd.In the area of Waikato that was formerly in the Franklin district, Auckland Council continues to manage thekerbside refuse and recycling contracts. These services are contracted to EnviroWaste Services Ltd.The council also provides three recycling depots and transfer stations. These are located in Raglan, Huntly, andTe Kauwhata. Further details regarding council-contracted waste services are presented in Section 3.0.As well as the council services, private waste operators also offer a range of refuse and recycling services. Alarge proportion of commercial and industrial waste is handled by the private operators.1.6 Available documentationThe following documents have provided useful background information and are referenced throughout thiswaste assessment:• Waikato District Council’s Long Term Council Community Plan 2009-19, Adopted June 2009• Waikato District Council Draft Annual Plan 2010/11• Waikato District Council Waste Management Plan 2002• Waikato District Council Satisfaction Survey 2009• Waikato District Council State of the Environment Report 2009• Franklin District Council Waste Management Plan • Waste Not Consulting (2010) Waste to Landfill from Waikato District – A Desk-top Analysis, Report toWaikato District Council, May 2010.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201111

2.0 WasteinfrastructureThis section provides a summary of key strategic waste facilities that currently service households andbusinesses in the Waikato district.2.1 Residual waste disposal2.1.1 Landfill disposal facilitiesThe Waste Minimisation Act 2008, in Section 7, defines a ‘disposal facility’ as:(a) a facility, including a landfill,—(i) at which waste is disposed of; and(ii) at which the waste disposed of includes household waste; and(iii) that operates, at least in part, as a business to dispose of waste; and(b) any other facility or class of facility at which waste is disposed of that is prescribed as a disposal facility.(2) In subsection (1)(a)(ii), household waste means waste from a household that is not entirely fromconstruction, renovation, or demolition of the house.With this definition, the Act has created a distinct class of landfill, the ‘disposal facility’, for those facilities thataccept household waste.In the past, landfills were lightly regulated and little engineering work was undertaken to reduce theenvironmental impact from leachate and gaseous emissions. As a result, most urban areas had their ownlandfill.Since the introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1992, most small landfills have been required toclose as they are unable to meet the necessary requirements to reduce their environmental impact. This hasled to a regionalisation of landfills, with new facilities being much more expensive to establish and operate thanpreviously.There is one landfill disposal facility within the Waikato district – North Waikato Regional Landfill (HamptonDowns landfill). This landfill receives a high proportion of waste generated within the Waikato district.Minor quantities of waste from the Waikato district may also go to other landfill disposal facilities. All of therelevant facilities are listed below.Table 1: Landfill disposal facilitiesName/operator Type Key services/wastestreamsNorth Waikato RegionalLandfill (EnviroWasteServices Ltd)MunicipalLandfillNon-hazardousresidential, commercialand industrial solid waste,primarily from Aucklandand WaikatoLocationHamptonDownsCapacity & estimatedoperational lifeConsented to 2030.Capacity to at least 2045.Estimated at 478,782tonnes per annum inAuckland Council’s wasteassessment 201112

Name/operator Type Key services/wastestreamsWhitford Landfill,Waste Disposal Services(joint venture betweenAuckland Council andTranspacific IndustriesGroup (NZ) LtdTirohia Landfill, H GLeachMunicipalLandfillMunicipalLandfillNon-hazardousresidential, commercialand industrial solid waste,primarily from southAucklandNon-hazardousresidential, commercialand industrial solid waste,including special wastes.Receives waste fromWaikato, Bay of Plentyand GisborneLocationWhitford,south-eastAucklandTirohia,PaeroaCapacity & estimatedoperational lifeRemaining capacity 6.5Mtonnes, Resource consentallows no more than200,000 tpaConsented to approx2035. Annual tonnagecommercially sensitiveConsidering travelling distances to Whitford and Tirohia Landfills compared to Hampton Downs, it is likely thatthe vast majority of waste disposed of to landfill is transported to Hampton Downs and this is considered themost economic disposal option for the district’s waste.2.1.2 Closed landfillsThere are a number of closed landfills for which the council has ongoing management and monitoringresponsibility. These closed landfills are in Huntly, Ngaruawahia, Raglan, Te Kauwhata and Horotiu. Thecouncil carries out regular monitoring and inspection of closed landfills to ensure that they are remediated andmanaged according to the requirements of their resource consents.Hamilton City Council also has a closed landfill near Horotiu.There are also two closed landfills in the district under private ownership – a Department of Corrections facilityat Waikeria, and a timber waste landfill in Pokeno.2.1.3 CleanfillsThe Ministry for the Environment’s Cleanfill Guidelines define cleanfill material and cleanfills as follows:“Cleanfill materialMaterial that when buried will have no adverse effect on people or the environment. Cleanfill material includesvirgin natural materials such as clay, soil and rock, and other inert materials such as concrete or brick that arefree of:• combustible, putrescible, degradable or leachable components• hazardous substances• products or materials derived from hazardous waste treatment, hazardous waste stabilisation orhazardous waste disposal practices• materials that may present a risk to human or animal health such as medical and veterinary waste,asbestos or radioactive substances• liquid waste.CleanfillA cleanfill is any landfill that accepts only cleanfill material as defined above. 5 ”The council’s policy on cleanfills is the same as that of the regional council – up to 2,500 m3 per annum is apermitted activity. Resource consent is required for any cleanfill exceeding this volume, and any fill that intendsto accept material other than clean fill. The Waikato District Plan defines cleanfill as meaning:5 Ministry for the Environment (2002) ‘A Guide to the Management of Cleanfill’s. Wellington, available onwww.mfe.govt.nzWaikato District Council waste assessment 201113

“…material that when discharged to the environment will have no adverse effect on people or the environment. Thisincludes natural materials such as clay, soil and rock, and other inert materials such as broken concrete and brick, ormixtures of any of the above, and excludes:(a) material that has combustible, putrescible or degradable components, and(b) materials likely to create leachate by biological or chemical breakdown, and(c) products or materials derived from hazardous waste treatment, hazardous waste stabilisation or hazardouswaste disposal practices, and(d) materials such as medical and veterinary waste, asbestos, or radioactive substances that may present a risk tohuman health, and(e) materials contaminated with hazardous substances or pathogens, and(f) hazardous substances.This definition is very similar to, but not exactly the same as, the Cleanfill Guidelines definition quoted above(for example liquid waste is not mentioned).For some types of waste, cleanfills are competing directly with landfills. However, cleanfills are much less costlythan landfills to establish and require much lower levels of engineering investment to prevent discharges intothe environment. Cleanfills also have much lower compliance costs than landfills. Because of these differingcost structures, cleanfills charge markedly less for disposal than landfills, often on the order of 10 per cent oflandfills’ gate charges.There are several consented cleanfill operations in the Waikato district.Table 2: Cleanfill facilitiesName/operatorBombayQuarry,HolcimKey services/waste streams Location Capacity & estimatedoperational lifeCleanfill disposal, for quarry customers onlyRidge Road,BombayUp to 500,000 m3 from late2011, consented to 2025PerryResourcesLtdCleanfill disposal for public (topsoil, clay,spoil); $5 plus GST per tonne, if takingsand $4.50 plus GST, topsoil is free (laterscreened and sold)HutchinsonRd, HorotiuConsented to 2030Wedding IH& Sons LtdCleanfill, construction and demolitionwaste, sand, subsoil, clay and compostBedfordRoad, TeKowhaiUp to 109,500 m3 per annumof cleanfill and C&D wasteTe KowhaiSandsCleanfill (preferably topsoil forrehabilitation)SH39, TeKowhaiConsented till 2021, but willlikely be at capacity by end of2011EnvirofertCleanfill (clay, soil, rock, concrete, brick,demolition products)(Take other materials such as plasterboardbut these are reprocessed)GeraghtysRoad,TuakauCurrently consented to 2019,but intend to extend consentsS D WatsonLtdCleanfill (concrete, clay and topsoil) forland contouringBucklandRd, Tuakau35,000 m3 per dayWhangarataQuarry,Ridge RoadQuarry LtdCleanfill and quarryRidge Road,BombayUp to 700,000 m314

Name/operatorRX PlasticsLtdCharbertHoldings LtdEnviroLandfill(Pukemiromine)Ridge RoadQuarry Ltd(WhangarataQuarry)Key services/waste streams Location Capacity & estimatedoperational lifeCleanfill (only clay, sand for siteremediation)CleanfillCoal mine, cleanfill, end of life tyres,construction and demolition wasteCleanfillHorotiuRoad,HorotiuBucklandRoad,PukekoheHangapipiRoad,Huntly/PukemiroRidge Road,Bombay78,800 capacity, consentedto 2022. Nearly to capacityand only accepting good basematerialUp to 12,000 m3 per annum130,000 m3 per annum700,000 m3 capacity.consented to 2019There are a number of other current cleanfill consents, but these are generally secondary to another activity(e.g. civil construction projects, housing or other waste management operations) and have not been includedhere as they are short term and/or do not accept waste from external sources.Two of the cleanfill facilities, Enviro Landfill and Wedding, have specific consents to dispose of construction anddemolition waste, with the Enviro Landfill also having permission to dispose of ‘end of life’ tyres. Some of thesematerials arguably do not fit the regional or district council definitions of cleanfill given above; however theregional council has awarded consents enabling these facilities to dispose of these materials.2.1.4 Assessment of residual waste disposal infrastructureThe most significant facilities in the area are the Hampton Downs landfill, and the various cleanfill facilitiesaround the district. A review of these facilities suggests that there is sufficient capacity to accommodateresidual and cleanfill waste streams over the next 20-30 years. However there are some potential issues fromoperational and management perspectives.Any potential negative environmental effects of the Hampton Downs landfill are strictly controlled throughtheir resource consents and monitoring. However the operators are not required to provide any informationto district or regional councils regarding the tonnage, composition, or source of the waste they accept. Underthe landfill levy scheme, they do have to report to MfE on the total amount of waste disposed of per annum;however MfE only releases aggregated data.Cleanfills over a certain size are able to be identified as they require resource consents to operate. Facilitiesunder this size (2,500 m3 per annum) are permitted activities and as such are not readily identifiable. Basedon the definition of cleanfill given by both MfE and the council, it is questionable whether cleanfills are anappropriate method of disposal for some construction and demolition materials, and for tyres. For example,the MfE website states ”the disposal and storage of old and unwanted (end-of-life) tyres has a number ofpotential adverse environmental and health impacts”.The regional council records at the time these consent decisions were made suggest that a future ‘end-of-lifetyre’ stewardship programme would soon be in place, implying that disposal was seen a stop-gap measure.The operators of the Enviro Landfill site also had inherited a significant historic stockpile of this material whichrequired a solution. Identifying alternative management options for construction and demolition waste, andend-of-life tyres, is an issue for the district.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201115

2.2 Transfer stations and recycling depotsThere are three refuse transfer stations located in the Waikato district, all of which are council-owned. All ofthe facilities include public recycling drop-off points. Locations and operating contractors are shown in Table 3.Table 3: Transfer stations and recycling depotsTown Location Managing contractorRaglan Te Hutewai Road Xtreme Waste IncHuntly McVie Road Metrowaste Waikato LtdTe Kauwhata Rata Street Metrowaste Waikato LtdThe following Table 4 shows the opening hours for each of the council facilities. All of the depots are closed onGood Friday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.Table 4: Recycling depot opening hoursTown Raglan Huntly Te KauwhataMonday 8.30am - 4.30pm 7.30am - 4.30pm CLOSEDTuesday CLOSED 7.30am - 4.30pm CLOSEDWednesday 8.30am - 4.30pm 7.30am - 4.30pm CLOSEDThursday CLOSED 7.30am - 4.30pm 11.30am - 4pmFriday 8.30am - 4.30pm 7.30am - 4.30pm 11.30am - 4pmSaturday 1.30pm - 4.30pm 10am - 4pm 10am - 4pmSunday 8.30am - 4.30pm 10am - 4pm 10am - 4pmThe materials accepted, and associated charges, are shown in Table 5 for Raglan and for all other depots.Table 5: Materials accepted and associated charges 6Material Raglan All Other 6Refuse to landfill $41/m3 Ranges between $4 per bag, to $150 per tonne for bulk loads.Green waste $10/ m3 Ranges between $4 per bag, to $110 per tonne for bulk loadsGrass clippings Free See aboveSorted glass Free Free for householdersMetals Free Free for householdersPaper Free Free for householdersCardboard Free Free for householdersPlastics coded 1,2 and 5 Free Free for householdersAluminium and steel cans Free Free for householdersPlastic supermarket bags Free NA6 As the Te Kauwhata transfer station doesn’t have a weighbridge, loads are estimated. Truck loads are re-directedto the Huntly transfer station.16

Material Raglan All Other 6Car bodies Free NAHazardous waste(including farm chemicals,garden chemicals,fertilisers, chlorine,organophosphates,drenches)Used oilFreeFree (for small amounts only ie those from householders)$1 per litreInk toners and cartridges Free NABatteries Free FreeCar batteries Free FreeCFL (small) Free Free (householders)CFL (long tube) $1/tube Free (householders)Tyres Car tyres - $10 Truck tyres - $20Cleanfill$110 per tonneWhiteware TBA $10 per itemGas bottles TBA $5Asbestos NA $500 per tonne, $.50 per kgPolystyrene NA $1600 per tonne, $1.60 per kg2.2.1 Raglan Xtreme Waste recycling depot• Garden waste which is deposited at the site is composted and re-sold back to the community.• Untreated wood is sold as fire wood, and any re-usable wood is also available for re-sale2.2.2 Assessment of transfer station infrastructure and operationIn general the district has a good transfer station network. The main exception is the north of the district,significantly Tuakau, where residents are likely to use the Pukekohe Transfer Station (within the AucklandCouncil’s boundaries but only 10km away) rather than travelling to the Te Kauwhata Transfer Station (33 kmaway). This reduces the ability of the council to influence waste management in Tuakau beyond kerbsidecollection provision.While the Raglan facility has a strong focus on resource recovery, options for reuse, recovery and recycling aremore limited at other transfer stations potentially leading to landfill disposal of materials that are recovered atRaglan. As these transfer stations are provided under contract to the council, this is well within their ability toinfluence.2.3 Recycling and reprocessing facilitiesThere are a number of waste processing and recycling facilities that handle materials collected in the Waikatodistrict. There are also several major facilities in the Waikato district that process waste materials from outsidethe district. These are listed overleaf.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201117

Table 6: Details of facilitiesName/operator Type Key services/wastestreamsMetrowasteWaikato LtdXtreme wasteLoweCorporationEnvirofertNikauContractorsVisyInitialprocessingand balingInitialprocessingand balingRenderingCompostingFacilityCleanfillProcessingand recyclingMaterialsRecyclingFacilityKerbside recyclablesfrom Waikato districtKerbside recyclablesfrom Raglan areaHigh-protein putresciblewastes from throughoutAuckland and WaikatoGreen waste, foodwastes, plasterboard,cleanfill material fromthroughout Aucklandand WaikatoConstruction &demolition waste fromthroughout Aucklandand WaikatoRecyclable commoditiesfrom Auckland andTukauLocationHuntly TransferStationRaglan TransferStationTuakauMeremereOnehunga,AucklandCapacity & estimatedoperational lifeOngoingOngoingNot specified, butadditional capacityavailableNo specific tonnagelimits as long as consentconditions maintainedOpening date TBA70,000 tonnes per annumapproximately2.3.1 Assessment of recycling and reprocessing facilitiesThe Waikato district is well placed to access a wide range of facilities. There is existing availability for mostwaste streams to be diverted, and plans are underway for other waste streams (such as construction anddemolition waste). The district is also well served by transport routes north, south and east.18

3.0 Wastemanagement in theWaikato district3.1 Council-contracted servicesA weekly kerbside waste and recycling collection is provided to the majority of the 21,700 households inthe district. Some households in remote areas do not receive a kerbside collection. These households areencouraged to instead use the recycling facilities at one of the transfer stations, although the council willconsider providing a collection where it can be ‘economically provided’ and 65 per cent of ratepayers in thearea in question want to participate.Currently, the refuse and recycling contracts in the former Franklin district continue to be administered byAuckland Council. It has not yet been agreed how these services will transfer to the Waikato District Council.3.1.1 FundingCollection services are provided to residential properties only, and are largely funded through a targeted rate.The charge for pre-paid user charged services in Raglan are set by Xtreme Waste in consultation with thecouncil and the Raglan Community Board. Other waste management services are funded from the targetedrate or in some cases, such as loose litter and abandoned vehicles, from general rates.In the former Franklin area, services have been partly funded through the general rate, and partly through adirect user-pays charge.For the 2011/12 year, the refuse collection and disposal targeted rates are as shown in the table below.Table 7: 2011/12 Targeted ratesCustomer groupChargeAll serviced residential properties except Raglan, Te Mata and Te Uku $173All serviced residential properties, Raglan kerbside recycling $84Te Mata and Te Uku recycling (within specified area) $33.82Raglan pre-paid bags$2.60 for 65L$1.50 for 35LFormer Franklin area (excluding Tuakau) pre-paid bagsTuakau – new property 120L wheelie bin$2.50 eachNo chargeTuakau – 120L wheelie bin replacement $40.80Tuakau – replacement/new/additional recycling bins $13Waikato District Council waste assessment 201119

For the 2010/11 year, the refuse collection and disposal targeted rates were:Table 8: 2010/11 Refuse targeted rates and chargesCustomer groupAll serviced residential properties except Raglan, Te Mata and Te UkuAll serviced residential properties, Raglan kerbside recyclingTe Mata and Te Uku recycling (within specified area)Raglan pre-paid bagsCharge$172.75/annum$79.73/annum$32.71/annum$2.45 for 65L$1.40 for 35LFormer Franklin area (excluding Tuakau) pre-paid bag stickers$2.50 each3.1.2 ServicesA variety of service arrangements are in place, as shown below.Table 9: Summary of servicesService Provision Service providerResidual waste collection to householdsonlyPre-paid in former Franklin area (excludingTuakau) using $2 pre-paid bagsTuakau township – 120L wheelie binsPre-paid in Raglan – 60-litre pre-paid bags–$2.50, 35-litre bags - $1.50In all other areas - customer-provided bags(black sacks, fertiliser bags, or supermarketbags) up to two per weekDry recyclables collection of sortedglass, plastic grades 1, 2, & 5, aluminium/tin/steel cans and metals, paper, and cardboardcollected from a 55L recycling crateWeekly to 2800 customersWeekly to approximately1700 customersWeekly to approximately 800householdsWeekly to all otherhouseholds (excluding isolatedrural customers)Weekly to approximately21,000 customersEnvirowaste Services Ltd,contracted to AucklandCouncil until July 2013(with two one-year rights ofrenewal at Auckland Council’sdiscretion)As aboveXtreme waste, contracteduntil mid-2014Metrowaste Waikato,contracted until mid-2014Tuakau – Transpacific AllbriteLtd contracted to AucklandCouncil until July 2013(with two one-year rights ofrenewal at Auckland Council’sdiscretion)Raglan – Xtreme Waste,contracted until mid-2014All other areas – MetrowasteWaikato contracted until mid-201420

Service Provision Service providerInorganic collection of a trailer load(2m by 1m by 1m) of inorganic rubbish(furniture, lawnmowers, bikes, televisions,carpet, metal items up to 2m long,appliances able to be lifted by two people).Waste transfer and disposalHazardous wasteDrop-off facilities recycling can bedropped off at all three transfer stations, andat two drop-off centresLitter bins are provided in townshipsaround the districtIllegal dumping is removed from aroundthe districtPublic place recycling 30 bins areprovided in RaglanAnnually in November tohouseholds in old Waikatodistrict, excluding RaglanPart of refuse transfer stationcontracts – Raglan, Huntly andTe KauwhataPart of refuse transfer stationcontracts – Raglan, Huntly andTe KauwhataTe Mata and Te Uku dropoffcentres available for ruralhouseholdsEmptied as necessaryAs necessaryAs necessaryMetrowaste WaikatoRaglan – Xtreme WasteHuntly and Te Kauwhata –Metrowaste WaikatoRaglan – Xtreme WasteHuntly and Te Kauwhata –Metrowaste WaikatoXtreme waste contracted tomid-2014Xtreme waste in Raglan,Some emptied by a roadingcontractorXtreme waste in Raglan,various other contractorsXtreme waste3.1.3 Kerbside collectionsThe collection schedule is shown in Table 10.Table 10: Collection scheduleDayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySundayAreaAwaroa (Waiuku Urban), Ngaruawahia Road, Otaua, Raglan West, Rotokauri, TeKowhai, Whatawhata, Whiriwhiri.Aka Aka, Glen Afton, Huntly, Pukemiro, parts of Otaua Rd, Rotowaro, Tuakau(wheelie bin), Raglan East, Hakarimata Rd, Brownlee Ave, View Terrace,Thickpenny Ln, Coenen St, Waingaro Rd, Clark Rd.Gordonton, Horotiu, Ngaruawahia, Orini, Taupiri.Matangi, Tamahere, Eureka, Onewhero, Tuakau (rural), Pokeno.Maramarua, Meremere, River Road, Te Kauwhata, Te Ohaki Road, WarengaRoad, Mercer.Port WaikatoServices that are not pre-paid (using purchased bags or stickers) are funded by rates. Those in rural areas thatdo not receive kerbside collection services are assumed to use the transfer stations and do not pay the targetedrate.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201121

3.1.4 Other council servicesIn addition to the services described above, there are other programs or services provide by the council or by apartnership supported by the council. These include:• Kahu’s nest: a shop in Raglan which sells second-hand goods. It is free to drop off re-saleable items.• Enviroschools• Business waste and general waste advisory services.3.1.5 Assessment of council servicesMost refuse collections are either user pays or restrict the volume residents can put out for collection in someway. The only partial exception to this is the collection for rural residents, who are restricted to two bags perweek but can use any sized bag. This allowance is unlikely to be providing any significant pressure to minimisewaste and use recycling drop-off services. Kerbside refuse and recycling collections are provided to the majorityof residents, with only some isolated rural areas not receiving a service.Due to this, rural residents experience less encouragement to divert waste by recycling and to reduce wastethan other residents do.Recycling options extend beyond kerbside collections in some areas, with transfer stations and drop-off centresaround the district. Raglan also has public place recycling bins.3.2 Non-council servicesWith the exception of Xtreme Waste, the council’s contractors also provide private collection services tohouseholds. EnviroWaste Services Ltd collects private wheelie bins at the same time as collecting council prepaidrefuse bags. Metrowaste Waikato collects kerbside refuse from commercial properties.Refuse and recycling collection services are provided to commercial and industrial premises in the district byEnviroWaste Services Ltd, Transpacific Industries Group (NZ) Ltd, Franklin Rubbish Removal, and MetrowasteWaikato. Xtreme Waste provides skip bin and user pays bag services to businesses in Raglan.Garden waste collections are provided by Daisy Garden Bags collecting in and around Ngaruawahia, andGreenfingers Garden Bags and Bins collecting around Tuakau and the outskirts of Hamilton.3.2.1 Assessment of non-council servicesWith very little information on non-council services available, it is difficult to assess the extent to whichservices are appropriate and sufficient for the district’s needs. It is known that some customers in Tuakauand surrounding areas use a MGB collection provided by a private company. Generally the use of privatelycollected MGBs for residual waste results in an increase in waste disposal to landfill 7 .The lack of information and data is the key issue with non-council services. Except in the former Franklin area,there is no requirement for operators to be licensed and they are therefore unregulated beyond national legalrequirements. There is also no requirement for data regarding waste volumes, types, or destination to beprovided nor any system in place to collect this information.3.3 Solid waste bylawThe Waikato District Council is one of the few councils in New Zealand without a bylaw specifically dealingwith solid waste issues. The former Franklin District Council had a bylaw, which covered many waste issues,including a waste operators licensing scheme. Many of the provisions of this bylaw are still being applied to thearea now included in the Waikato district. The council has a trade waste bylaw adopted in 2008, but there isnothing in the bylaw relating specifically to solid waste management.7 Noted through experience by Waste Not Consulting. The payment of a fixed fee regardless of waste quantity (aslong as it is below the limit set by the size of the bin) and the provision of a receptacle often larger than that providedby the council both discourage waste minimisation and use of other options such as recycling.22

3.3.1 Assessment of solid waste bylawThe lack of a waste bylaw contributes to the general lack of data regarding waste flows in the district. It alsomeans that the Council have no control over what happens with waste other than that collected by theircontractors.A bylaw can make a significant positive contribution to waste management by addressing issues such as cleanfillmanagement and data provision, encouraging waste separation and recycling, and ensuring a ‘level playing field’for all operators.3.4 Waste education and minimisationprogrammesXtreme Waste is contracted to the council to provide waste education and minimisation programmes toschools and to the community across the district.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201123

4.0 Waste within theWaikato district4.1 IntroductionThis section focuses on waste that is generated within the Waikato district. Waikato has a number of strategicwaste processing and disposal facilities that accept waste from outside of the district, and flows of thesematerials are discussed in section 5.0.For local government planning purposes, the most important metrics relating to solid waste are the tonnageand composition of waste disposed of to landfill and the tonnage and composition of ‘diverted materials’.The WMA makes a clear distinction between these two types of ‘waste’ materials; ‘waste’ being defined as“any thing that is disposed of or discarded”, while ‘diverted materials’ is defined as “any thing that is no longerrequired for its original purpose and, but for commercial or other waste minimisation activities, would bedisposed of or discarded”.Measurements of waste disposed of to landfill are more readily compiled and more reliable than measurementsof diverted materials. Waste to landfill is a well-defined, discrete material flow, handled by a relatively smallnumber of operators with all material generally being weighed and recorded at a common point – the landfillweighbridge.On the other hand, there is no general consensus on the boundaries of what constitutes a ‘diverted material’.Some materials, such as scrap metal and kraft cardboard collected for recycling, are widely accepted as beingdiverted materials, but for other materials, such as those handled by second-hand dealers, there is no suchagreement. Compounding the difficulties of quantifying diverted materials is the large number of businessesoperating in the industry (usually undocumented) and the wide range of unrelated disposal pathways for thematerials. The commercial sensitivity of quantitative information is another major complication, with manybusinesses in the industry being reluctant to voluntarily provide data.In relation to the objectives of the NZ Waste Strategy to ‘reduce harm’ and ‘increase resource efficiency’, athird distinct waste stream is of importance – cleanfill. ‘Cleanfills’ are meant to provide a low-cost alternative tolandfills for inert wastes that have no environmental impact when disposed of to land. However, as the Ministryfor the Environment’s 2002 guidelines for the management of cleanfills states:“...over time the term ‘cleanfill’ has been stretched and modified. Many cleanfills now mistakenly accept a multitudeof construction and demolition waste, contaminated soils, green waste and many other materials that can result in anadverse effect on the environment”.It is very difficult to gather any data on waste material that is disposed of to ‘cleanfills’. ‘Cleanfills’ thatoperate with resource consents are rarely required to report on the quantity of material that is disposed of.Unconsented ‘cleanfills’ (both legal and illegal) present even greater difficulties with regards to data.As well as these ‘formal’ disposal pathways, waste can be disposed of through more ‘informal’ pathways,including illegal dumping and, particularly in rural areas, on-site incineration and burial.As a result of these factors, this summary of waste data and waste flows will focus on waste that is disposedof to landfill. Data on diverted materials will be limited to the council-controlled recycling systems (ie kerbsiderecycling and transfer station drop-offs) and ‘commodities’ (ie paper, kraft, glass, plastic and metal containers)collected by commercial recyclers.4.2 Waste flows in the Waikato districtUsing information provided by the council and private waste operators, the flows of residual waste materials inthe district have been mapped as shown in Figure 2.24

Figure 2: Residual waste flows in the Waikato districtResidual waste from the Waikato district is disposed of directly to Hampton Downs landfill, at the threetransfer stations within the district, and other transfer stations in Auckland and Hamilton. As shown in thenext section, the largest single waste stream is general waste disposed of directly to landfill. This waste streamcomprises over 50 per cent of the total.The quantities of landfilled waste and diverted materials were determined through analysis of council recordsand information provided by private waste and recycling operators. The results for waste to landfill arepresented in Table 11 below. The results for diverted materials are presented in Table 12 on the followingpage. Both tables are divided into materials controlled by the council and materials controlled by commercialwaste and recycling operators.The quantity of material that is disposed of to cleanfills is often greater than the amount going to landfill, butfew councils have any data on the quantity or composition. The only exception to this is Christchurch CityCouncil, which has a bylaw requiring cleanfill operators to report regularly.4.2.1 Landfilled waste quantities for the Waikato districtTable 11: Waikato district waste to landfillWaste to landfillCouncil-controlled waste streamsTonnes perannum% of totalKerbside refuse collections direct to landfill 6,989 23%• Kerbside refuse collections into Raglan RTS439 1%• Kerbside refuse collections into Pukekohe RTS2,886• General waste into all transfer stations1,919 6%Subtotal - Transfer stations to landfill 5,243 18%Total - Council-controlled waste to landfill 12,232 41%10%Waikato District Council waste assessment 201125

Waste to landfillCommercial operator-controlled waste streamsTonnes perannum% of totalPrivate kerbside refuse collections 1,464 5%General waste 16,098 54%Total - Commercial operator-controlled waste to landfill 17,562 59%Total – waste to landfill 29,794 100%In total, close to 30,000 tonnes of waste are estimated to be disposed of to landfill from the Waikato districteach year.Of this total, the council controls about 41 per cent. This includes the council’s kerbside refuse collections andwaste that passes through the council’s three transfer stations. The proportion of waste over which the councilhas direct control is important when planning waste minimisation services as different options are available tocouncil to mange those waste streams over which it has direct control.About 39 per cent of the waste being disposed of to landfill is from kerbside collections. These include thecouncil’s kerbside refuse collections, the council’s inorganic refuse collection, and private kerbside refusecollections.4.2.2 Diverted materials quantities for the Waikato districtThe data on council-controlled diverted materials in the table below is taken from council records. Estimates ofcommercial operator-controlled diverted materials are based on per capita data on diverted material generationgathered in other districts.In this analysis, ‘diverted materials’ includes only the council-controlled recycling systems (ie kerbside recyclingand transfer station drop-offs) and ‘commodities’ (ie paper, kraft, glass, plastic and metal containers) collectedby commercial recyclers. No attempt has been made to quantify other diverted materials, such as:• Scrap metal• Concrete• Construction and demolition materials such as timber• Organic waste used for stock feed• Tyres• Second-hand goods• Timber processing waste used for hog fuel.Table 12: Waikato district diverted materialsDiverted materialsCouncil-controlled diverted materialsTonnes perannum% of totalKerbside recycling collections and transfer station drop-off recycling 6,989 T/annum 23%Greenwaste from transfer stations (Raglan only)Subtotal – Council-controlled diverted materials 4,320 62%Commercial operator-controlled diverted materials26

Diverted materialsTonnes perannum% of totalCommodities (glass, cardboard, plastics, cans only) 2,629 38%Subtotal – Commercial operator-controlled diverted materials 2,629 38%Total – diverted materials 6,949 100%About 7,000 tonnes of diverted materials are estimated to be collected annually in the Waikato district. Thecouncil’s kerbside recycling collection and transfer station drop-offs comprise nearly 60 per cent of this total.Commercial recycling operators account for about 38 per cent of the total.4.2.3 Waste composition in the Waikato districtThe composition of solid waste from Waikato district was estimated for council by Waste Not Consulting in2010. No audits or surveys were used for this estimate; the composition was based on audits and surveys ofthe composition of waste in other districts adapted for the Waikato district. The results of the estimate areshown in Table 13 below for:1) The composition of all kerbside refuse collections combined – this includes the council’s baggedcollection, wheelie bins in Tuakau, and private operators’ collections.2) The composition of the overall waste stream from the district being disposed of to landfill.Table 13: Waikato district waste compositionWaikato District Councilkerbside refuse (counciland private combined)All waste to landfillfrom the Waikatodistrict% of total T/annum % of total T/annumPaper – recyclable 9.2% 1,041 9.4% 2.801Paper – non-recyclable 2.6% 294 1.7% 507Plastics – recyclable 2.3% 260 1.5% 447Plastics – non-recyclable 10.2% 1,154 12.3% 3,665Organics (food and greenwaste) 50% 5684 34% 10,259Ferrous metals 2% 224 4% 1046Non-ferrous metals 1% 89 1% 258Glass – recyclable 3.2% 362 3.5% 1,043Glass – non-recyclable 0.7% 79 1.5% 447Textiles 3% 383 7% 2122Nappies & sanitary 11% 1209 8% 2463Rubble, concrete, etc. 1% 140 4% 1190Timber 2% 228 10% 3040Rubber 0% 19 1% 193Potentially hazardous 1% 155 1% 340Total 100% 11,313 100% 29,796Organic material, which includes primarily food waste and greenwaste, comprises the largest proportion of bothWaikato District Council waste assessment 201127

the kerbside refuse and the overall waste stream to landfill. Plastics are the second largest component of bothwaste streams.4.3 Comparisons with other districtsThis section provides comparisons of several kerbside metrics between the Waikato district and neighbouringHauraki and Matamata-Piako districts. The data from the other districts is taken from those councils’ jointwaste assessment.4.3.1 Council market share of kerbside refuse servicesIn all three districts included in this comparison, kerbside refuse collection services are provided by both thecouncil and private waste operators. While the councils’ services are used primarily by residential properties,anecdotal evidence suggests that the private waste operators’ services are also used by a significant proportionof commercial properties.A council’s market share of kerbside refuse collection services affects the financial parameters of the council’scollection and may affect the success of council’s waste reduction initiatives. Householders using a private userpaysMGB refuse collection service have no economic incentive to reduce the quantity of refuse they disposeof through the service. On the other hand, householders who use the user-pays council bag services can savemoney by reducing their waste to landfill.Each of the three councils’ market shares of the kerbside refuse market are calculated in Table 14. Theestimates for Hauraki and Matamata-Piako districts are considered to be more reliable than that for theWaikato district, as the information provided by the private waste industry in those districts was more detailed.Table 14: Council Market Share of Kerbside Refuse ServicesTonnes per annum Waikato district Hauraki district Matamata-PiakodistrictCouncil kerbside refuse 9,849 1,262 1,078Private kerbside refuse 1,464 1,224 4,093Total kerbside refuse 11,313 2,485 5,171Council market share 87% 51% 21%Whereas the council’s kerbside services account for nearly 90 per cent of the total kerbside refuse market,Matamata-Piako District Council controls slightly over 20 per cent. Hauraki’s kerbside services account for 51per cent of all kerbside refuse services.These differences are associated with the different proportions of properties receiving kerbside refuse services.Waikato District Council provides kerbside refuse services to a high proportion of properties, which providesprivate waste operators with less of an opportunity to establish an economically-viable collection service.Geographical factors must also be taken into account, as sparsely-populated areas or those with difficult terrainare less economically viable and hence less attractive to private waste operators.4.3.2 Kerbside refuse as a proportion of waste to landfillKerbside refuse services are used primarily by residential properties, with small-scale commercial businessescomprising a much lower proportion (on the order of 5-15 per cent, typically). Larger commercial andindustrial operations use other types of refuse collections, such as stationary compactors, front-loader skips,or gantry bins. As a result, in districts with a relatively low level of commercial/industrial activity, such as ruraldistricts, kerbside refuse services represent a larger proportion of waste to landfill than districts with higherlevels of commercial/industrial activity.Another factor determining the proportion of waste to landfill comprised of kerbside refuse is the relative usageof private wheelie bins. Households that use private wheelie bins tend to set out greater quantities of refuse28

than households that use refuse bags. Table 15 shows the proportion of waste to landfill comprised of kerbsiderefuse.Table 15: Kerbside refuse as a proportion of waste to landfillWaikato district Hauraki district Matamata-PiakodistrictTotal kerbside refuse 11,313 2,485 5,171Total waste to landfill 29,794 6,202 13,234Kerbside as % of totalwaste to landfill38% 40% 39%In the Waikato district kerbside refuse accounts for a very similar proportion of total waste to landfill as Haurakiand Matamata-Piako districts.4.3.3 Per capita waste to landfillThe quantity of waste disposed of to landfill in a given district is related to a large number of factors, including:1) The level and nature of economic activity2) The relationship between the costs of landfill disposal and the value of recovered materials3) The extent of resource recovery activity4) Seasonal fluctuations in population5) The affluence of the population.By combining Statistics NZ population estimates and the landfill waste data in section 4.2.1, the per capita perannum waste to landfill can be calculated as in Table 16 below.Table 16: Waste disposal per capitaWaikato district Hauraki district Matamata-PiakodistrictPopulation 58,459 17,190 30,483Total waste to landfill(tonnes per annum)Tonnes/capita/annum ofwaste to landfill29,794 6,202 13,2340.509 0.361 0.434The estimated per capita waste disposal is higher in the Waikato district than the other two districts.4.3.4 Per capita diverted materialsBy combining Statistics NZ population estimates and the combined council and private diverted materials datain section 4.2.2, the per capita per annum collection of diverted materials can be calculated as in Table 17below.It should be noted that ‘diverted materials’ in this context only includes the commodity-type materials, primarilypaper, kraft, glass, and plastic and metal containers. Council kerbside recycling collections, transfer stationrecycling drop-offs, and transfer station greenwaste drop-offs are also included.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201129

Table 17: Per capita diverted materialsWaikato district Hauraki district Matamata-PiakodistrictPopulation 58,459 17,190 30,483Total diverted materials 6,949 2,230 3,111Tonnes/capita/annum ofdiverted materials0.119 0.130 0.102The per capita collection of diverted materials is similar between the three districts.4.3.5 Comparisons with other districts – waste to landfillIn previous surveys for other councils, Waste Not Consulting collected data on per capita disposal of wasteto landfill. Table 18 compares the figures for a number of districts with the Waikato district. It is important tonote that some of the data were gathered before the global financial crisis of 2008. Waste to landfill tonnagesdecreased on the order of 20 per cent subsequent to that time.Table 18: Per capita waste to landfill compared to other districtsOverall waste(excluding cover materials and special waste)Tonnes per capitaper annumWaimakariri district 2010 0.336Hauraki district 2010 0.361Rodney district 2009 0.369Matamata-Piako district 2010 0.434Kapiti Coast district 2005 0.443Tauranga City and WBoP district 2010 0.452Southland district 2007 0.458Whakatane district 2007 0.465Waikato district 2010 0.509Waitaki district 2008 0.518Gore district 2007 0.519South Waikato district 2007 0.541Whangarei district 2008 0.570Rotorua 2009 0.574Napier/Hastings 2009 0.581Taupo district 2008 0.620Invercargill City 2007 0.684Thames-Coromandel district 0.695Napier/Hastings 2007 0.743Queenstown Lakes district 2008 1.228The districts with the lowest per capita waste generation tend to be either rural areas or areas close to urbanareas but with relatively low levels of manufacturing activity. The areas with the highest per capita wastegeneration are those with significant primary manufacturing activity or with large numbers of tourists.30

4.4 Methodology for estimating waste tonnages andcompositionThe estimate of waste to landfill from the Waikato district has been calculated using the following types ofinformation:1) Data provided by the council for 2009 on:a. Tonnage to landfill from the three transfer stations in the districtb. Tonnage to landfill from the council’s kerbside collectionsc. Tonnage to landfill from the council’s inorganic collection2) Statistics NZ sub-national population projections for 20093) Per capita waste generation figures from previous research conducted by Waste Not Consulting4) Composition of various waste streams as determined by previous surveys conducted by Waste NotConsulting5) Collection tonnage data provided by EnviroWaste Services Ltd and Transpacific Industries Group(NZ) LtdFor an overall estimate of waste to landfill to be made, separate estimates of waste tonnage and compositionwere made for:1) Five domestic kerbside refuse streams:a. Council refuse bags from the Waikato district, excluding Raglanb. Council refuse bags from Raglanc. Private wheelie bins from the Waikato districtd. Franklin District Council Tuakau MGBse. Franklin District Council refuse bags from the remainder of the area to be annexed to Waikato district2) Waikato District Council’s inorganic collection3) Huntly and Te Kauwhata transfer stations4) Raglan transfer station ‘general waste’ ie excluding council refuse bags5) Refuse from the former Franklin district taken to Pukekohe transfer station and from the Ngaruawahiaarea to Hamilton transfer stations6) Refuse taken directly to landfill by commercial waste operatorsTonnage and composition estimates for each of these waste streams are presented in section 4.2.3. Theestimate of the overall waste stream is presented in section 4.2.1. Waste streams that are not included in theestimate are discussed in section 4.1.Each waste stream is discussed below in more detail.4.4.1 Kerbside refuse collectionsThe composition and tonnage of kerbside refuse in post-1 November Waikato district has been estimated byseparately analysing five separate kerbside refuse streams and applying an assumed composition to each.The five kerbside refuse streams, and the assumptions that have been made relating to each, are:1) Waikato District Council refuse bags – excluding Raglan – As this refuse is disposed of directly toHampton Downs landfill, tonnage information is available. The composition is assumed to be thesame as for Franklin District Council refuse bags, which has been measured previously by Waste NotConsulting.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201131

2) Waikato District Council refuse bags from Raglan – This refuse is disposed of to the Raglan transferstation. As that facility does not have a weighbridge, an estimate of 330 tonnes has been made, basedon a relatively low per capita generation figure. The composition is assumed to be the same as forFranklin District Council refuse bags.3) Waikato and Franklin districts private MGBs – There is no tonnage information for this refuse streamavailable to either council, so it has been assumed that the tonnage of this waste stream is 20 per centof the councils’ estimated refuse bag tonnage. The composition is assumed to be the same as privatewheelie bins in Rodney district, which has been measured previously by Waste Not Consulting.4) Franklin district MGBs – Tonnage information has been provided by EnviroWaste Services Ltd. Anaverage of 17.9 tonnes per week is collected from a total of 1628 properties (data provided by GregWebb, EnviroWaste Franklin). This includes both residential and commercial properties. The quantityof private domestic refuse collection in Tuakau is assumed to be zero.5) Franklin District Council refuse bags - There is no tonnage information for this refuse stream availableto Franklin District Council, as it is collected at the same time as the contractor’s private MGBs.The tonnage has been based on a population of 11,500, which comprises the 15,000 residents inFranklin district being annexed into Waikato district less 3500 residents in Tuakau. A ‘standard’per capita refuse generation rate of 150 kg has been used to calculate the tonnage for thispopulation. The composition is assumed to be the same as for Franklin District Council refuse bags,which has been measured previously by Waste Not ConsultingThe results of these calculations are shown in Table 19 and Figure 3.Table 19: Kerbside refuse tonnagesWaikato District - Council refuse bags –excluding RaglanWaikato District - Council refuse bags– RaglanPopulationusing serviceTonnes/capita/annumTonnes/annum42,000 0.131 55003,000 0.131 393Private MGBs 59,100 0.020 1,445Tuakau MGBs 3,500 0.266 931Franklin District – Council refuse bags 11,500 0.150 1,72532

Figure 3 - Composition of kerbside refuse collections4.5 Kerbside recycling collectionsThe diagram below summarises the waste flows and data available.Figure 4: Summary of Waste Flows and Available DataNo dataSomedataSomedataNo dataNo dataCouncil holds information on its own kerbside collections and any material delivered to the transfer stations,Waikato District Council waste assessment 201133

ut no information on the other flows.4.6 Service user feedbackA 2009 customer satisfaction survey showed that 85 per cent of residents were very satisfied (34 per cent)/satisfied (51 per cent) with the refuse collection, and 82 per cent with the recycling collection (35 per centand 47 per cent respectively). There were few changes from previous customer surveys and no notabledifferences between wards or socio-economic groups.4.7 Summary and conclusionsThe main conclusion that can be drawn from this analysis is that there is a lack of detailed waste data availablein the Waikato district. As a result assumptions and estimates have had to be made to provide information forthe waste assessment.It is obvious however that there is a large amount of waste coming in to the district, given the presence ofHampton Downs Landfill. The types of industry and the current services provided by the council and privatecontractors also mean that the composition of the waste going to landfill can be estimated fairly reliably.4.7.1 Potential for further diversionIt is likely that the key waste streams that could be targeted for waste minimisation are the same as othercomparable districts:• Organic waste (food and garden waste)• Dry recyclables still in the waste stream – in some cases diversion rates can be as low as 50 per cent• Construction and demolition waste• Reusable materials.4.7.1.1 Kerbside refuseThe key divertible waste streams are:• Compostable: 46.6 per cent (of which almost 80 per cent is putrescible kitchen/food waste)• Recyclable: 14.7 per cent - 17.5 per cent 8These results are average compared to other districts 9 with similar collection and transfer station systems.4.7.1.2 Waste to landfillOnce again, two key divertible waste streams are compostable and recyclable material, although organicwaste is of reduced proportion compared to above (30.7 per cent). Other waste streams that are higher inproportion include timber, rubble and textiles.8 The exact figure would depend on what proportion of the ferrous and non-ferrous metals are recyclable; the actualproportion is likely to be somewhere towards the higher end9 Waste Not Consulting has access to composition data from a number of comparable districts.34

5.0 Waste flows in andout of the WaikatodistrictAs noted in earlier sections the Waikato district is in a strong strategic position with regard to waste flows. Itsits within a triangle of three of the North Island’s largest and fastest growing population centres - Auckland,Hamilton and Tauranga; making it strategically located in terms of waste and materials flows from these areas.Already there are a number of key large waste processing facilities located in the area including:• Hampton Downs landfill• Envirofert - (organic waste processing and cleanfill)• Lowe Corporation (rendering plant)• Nikau Ltd (Construction and demolition facility)• Enviro landfill – (cleanfill, C&D waste, and tyre monofill facility).These facilities (and others) accept and process material from outside of the district. Although no data hasbeen made available it is likely that out of district material comprises the majority of material accepted intothese facilities.In addition waste materials flow out of the district to other facilities, in particular in Auckland. These flowsrelate in particular to commodity materials and include:• Sims Pacific – ferrous metals• Owens-Illinois - glass• Visy - commodities• CMA – scrap metals• Paper Reclaim – paper and kraft• Carter Holt Harvey – paper and kraft.Understanding these flows is important in the context of the waste assessment as Waikato District Councilhas a responsibility to plan for waste management and minimisation across all waste streams. There are alsopotential benefits from encouraging an expanding waste management sector in the district – this could provideeconomic and social benefits as well as allowing access to an increasing range of waste management options.There is currently demand for waste management facilities both within the region (Waikato), and nearby(Auckland and Bay of Plenty) 10 . The location, transport links, and the possible synergies with other wastemanagement facilities already in the district make the Waikato district a logical location for large wastemanagement facilities that are difficult to accommodate in more densely populated areas. Therefore much ofthe current and potential future demand for facilities is likely to be driven by material flows originating fromoutside of the district.10 This conclusion is partly based on the content of recent waste assessments, and waste management andminimisation plans, published by councils in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions, and various waste datastudies carried out for the new Auckland Council. There has also been feedback from specific sectors, such as theconstruction and demolition waste industry, suggesting that a barrier to increased diversion from landfill is a lack ofalternative facilities.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201135

Given the expected increasing quantities of waste material flowing in to the district, it is important that wastemanagement and other planning documents outline how the council intends to accommodate this, and whatrole the council might choose to take in directing or influencing this sector.If this issue is not proactively managed, there is, conversely, a danger that the district could experience anincrease in detrimental waste activity such as illegal dumping and cleanfills operating outside the Ministry for theEnvironment’s cleanfill guidelines. Many nearby councils are expected to strengthen their regulatory regime(this intention is reflected in their waste assessments and WMMPs) further exacerbating the danger of thedistrict being seen as an easy destination for difficult waste streams. For this reason, it will also be important forthe Waikato district to review their regulatory role with respect to waste management.36

6.0 Future demandand gap analysis6.1 Future demandIn general, total waste volumes in Waikato are expected to increase gradually in the short to medium term.This is largely due to anticipated population growth, largely as a result of the districts proximity to the Aucklandmetropolitan area. Expected growth figures take previous waste volumes for the Waikato district, plus aproportion of the old Franklin district, as a baseline.The focus of the council, as expressed in the 2010/11 Annual Plan 11 , is to encourage growth to occur in thetowns and villages of the district, while protecting valuable farmland and environmental assets. This will beachieved through tighter planning, and in particular restriction of subdividing rural properties. This is unlikelyto produce significant changes in types of services required however; as this is an approach that maintains thestatus quo.There are a wide range of factors that are likely to affect future demand for waste minimisation andmanagement. The extent to which these influence demand is likely to vary over time and in different localities.This means that predicting future demand has inherent uncertainties. Key factors in the Waikato district’scontext are likely to include the following:• Incorporation of a portion of the former Franklin district• Overall population growth• Tourism• Economic growth• Recycling markets• Local, Regional and Central Government Policy• Changes in lifestyle and consumption• Community expectations, (particularly given the new district boundaries).These are discussed in more detail in Appendix A.2.0.6.1.1 Demographic factorsThe district has changed significantly since the expansion of the boundary to the north. Previous predictionswere that the population of the district would increase by 97 per cent by 2061 12 . Estimates for the district’spopulation prior to the boundary changes are shown below.EstimatedpopulationNov 2010boundaries2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 201054,100 55,400 56,600 57,700 58,700 59,900 60,700 61,800 62,800 63,800Growth (%) 2.4% 2.2% 1.9% 1.7% 2.0% 1.3% 1.8% 1.6% 1.6%11 Waikato District Council “2010/11 Draft Annual Plan” available on www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz. The final planwas adopted in June 2011.12 Based on 2006 statistics NZ figures.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201137

EstimatedpopulationJune 2010boundaries2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 201045,400 47,600 48,300Source: www.stats.govt.nz, subnational population estimatesStatistics New Zealand has updated its population estimates to reflect the 1 November 2010 boundarychanges. This shows an estimated increase in population following the boundary changes of 15,500.Despite uncertainties around the current population and predicted growth in the district, it is very likely thatgrowth will continue, and current indications are that this growth will accelerate over the next 20 years.Analysis by the council in partnership with the University of Waikato have resulted in the predictions forpopulation shown below.Table 20: Forecasted district populationEstimated populationNov 2010 boundaries2009 2010 2011 2012 2021 2022 203162,800 63,800 64,066 65,081 75,740 76,997 86,982Growth (%) 1.6% 1.6% 0.42% 1.6%Estimated populationJune 2010 boundariesSource: Waikato District Council47,600 48,30016.4%(tenyears)1.7%13.0%(nineyears)The ethnic makeup of the district is unlikely to change significantly following the boundary changes. In 2009, thedistrict’s population was 69 per cent European (compared to 67.6 per cent across New Zealand) and 25.9 percent Maori (14.6 per cent across New Zealand). The remainder were of Pacific and Asian origin.6.1.2 Commercial activityAs noted in section 5.0 the Waikato district is home to a number of large waste facilities, including HamptonDowns landfill, Envirofert and Lowe Corp. Significant amounts of waste move in to the district fromsurrounding areas as a result. The waste industry has not previously been specifically recognised as an industrialsector in documents such as the Waikato District Growth Strategy (2009), although other industries such asdairy, coal mining, and forestry are mentioned.The role the district has as a key transport and energy corridor between the three urban centres of Tauranga,Hamilton and Auckland is also seen as a key factor in the location of commercial and industrial activity in thedistrict.The implications for waste management demand are two-fold: firstly the presence of strong industrial sectorrepresents waste streams that requirement management and secondly, the presence of such significant wastefacilities presents the council with a number of options for managing waste in the district.A potentially negative outcome in terms of waste minimisation is the ease by which waste can be transportedand disposed of in a private facility without needing to pass through bulking or transfer stations, therebyreducing the options and degree to which the council can influence the management of these waste streams.This issue comes into particularly sharp focus with respect to cleanfill activity. Because of its proximity toAuckland it is likely that a substantial proportion of cleanfill type material from construction and demolition typeactivity makes is transported into the district. As much of this activity is uncontrolled there is no way of beingcertain of the extent of the issue, although anecdotal reports suggest that there is cause for concern and thelikelihood is that non-cleanfill type material is being disposed of to uncontrolled sites in the district.38

6.1.3 Innovative community waste managementThe Waikato district is home to Xtreme Waste, an organisation that is seen as one of the pioneers incommunity-based waste management, Xtreme Waste provide services only to a small area centred aroundRaglan. However their presence in the district, and the excellent outcomes they achieve in waste management,present real opportunities for the council to replicate this approach in other areas.Analysis of the waste streams managed by Xtreme Waste show that they collect between 213kg to 320kg ofresidual waste per household 13 , compared to the national average of 410kg per household.6.2 Future demand – gap analysisThe aim of waste planning at a territorial authority level is to achieve effective and efficient waste managementand minimisation. This should support the overall aims of the Waste Minimisation Act to “encourage wasteminimisation and a decrease in waste disposal”.This step of the waste assessment is intended to identify areas where future demand for the council toundertake waste management and minimisation activities may increase, or areas that are not currently beingaddressed but may need to be in future.Analysis of the factors affecting demand, as described above, is made in detail in Appendix 2.0. This analysissuggests the areas outlined in the following subsections may require attention. These areas have been identifiedas those where future demand appears unlikely to be met if waste management practices do not change.6.2.1 Data and monitoringWith the district playing an increasingly important role in cross-regional waste management, the lack of data onthe district’s waste flows and monitoring of the various organisations involved in these flows will increasinglybecome an issue. Planning for the waste management sector’s presence in the district will be difficult.Identifying the best options for reducing waste to landfill, and measuring whether in fact this is occurring, iscurrently almost impossible for waste streams outside the council’s direct control.The lack of historical data on waste flows and composition data for the various council-collected andtransferred waste streams also makes it difficult to identify the best waste types to target. However in this case,there is a large amount of information available from other district councils. If the assumption is made that theWaikato district is not significantly different to other districts, then priority waste streams can be proposed.6.2.2 RegulationThis is a key tool by which the council could obtain information and improve waste management andminimisation among the commercial and industrial sectors. Regulation is also the logical way to reduceillegal management practices (although it is acknowledged that this should be supported with education andencouragement).Increasingly councils are choosing to use their ability to pass bylaws relating to waste. These can address a widerange of issues such as waste containment, licensing of waste operators, requirements to provide waste data,and the operation and management of facilities such as cleanfills.Anecdotal evidence suggests that many of the councils bordering the Waikato district are currently investigatingregulatory tools, and it is likely that regulation in general will increase in future in these areas. This will place anincreasing demand on the council to do the same. Retaining a regulatory approach to waste management thatis less rigorous than its neighbours could result in the district becoming a target for undesirable practices, suchas illegal dumping and poorly managed waste facilities.6.2.3 Waste streamsThe Waikato district is similar to many other districts in having a well-established kerbside collection for dryrecyclables, recycling facilities at transfer stations, and a residual waste collection for householders.Therefore in common with other districts the priority waste streams that could be targeted to further reduce13 The exact figure depends what assumptions are made about the occupation of baches and seasonal rentalproperties in the area.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201139

waste to landfill would include:• Non-household waste, particularly small to medium businesses• Organic waste, particularly food waste• Construction and demolition waste• Potentially reusable items.The district is in a fortunate position in that the infrastructure required to divert these waste streams islargely available. Analysis does indicate that diverting organic waste economically may require more localisedprocessing facilities, as transport to the nearest facility (Envirofert) from the furthest point of the districtoutweighs the economic benefit of diverting the material 14 .Construction and demolition waste could be diverted to local recycling facilities, located centrally to serve thedistrict.Diverting reusable items requires staff and space resources rather than any specific processing infrastructure.6.2.4 Charging mechanismsThe amount of residual waste per household for Raglan has been calculated to be between 212 kg to 318kg per household per year. This is compared to a national average of 410 kg per household per year, and adistrict average of 455 kg per household per year.This suggests that the differences between the services provided in Raglan and those provided in the rest of thedistrict have a significant impact on the amount of waste sent to landfill, being (in no particular order):• Services provided by a community organisation• More items accepted for recycling at the transfer station• Provision of a reuse store at the transfer station• Demographic differences and attitude• A mixture of targeted rates for kerbside recycling and user-pays charges for residual waste.The last point is likely to have a significant impact on residual waste quantities and is something that can beeasily transferred to other areas.6.2.5 Economic developmentAs has been noted, the waste processing and disposal industry already has a significant presence in the district,and there may be potential to grow this industry still further, with a view to making the area a hub for wasteminimisation related industries. Growth is likely to be driven by growth in surrounding areas forcing operationsthat have a relatively large land requirement into more rural areas such as the Waikato district. Economicdevelopment opportunities may exist in the following areas:• Organic waste processing• Construction and demolition waste processing• Utilising energy from organic wastes• Reuse of goods (in particularly for small rural towns)• Encouraging tourism through promotion of a zero waste/waste minimisation brand for the district• Utilising organic waste derived products on local farms and soils to improve productivity and reduce carbonimpacts.6.2.6 Rural waste sourcesLittle is known about the waste management practices of rural residents and businesses. Although some douse the council refuse and recycling services, many rural properties are not provided with a kerbside collection.It is assumed that they make use of the transfer stations; however anecdotal evidence also suggests that there14 Unpublished research carried out for Xtreme Waste, 2011.40

may be some self-management of waste on farms.National experience suggests there may be issues specifically with this customer group relating to agriculturalchemical containers, silage wrap, and on-site disposal or burning of wastes.The lack of reliable information on farm waste in the district and its potential impacts suggests a potential futurework area to ascertain any significant issues and what responses, if any, are appropriate.One of the areas that has received little attention and which may be important for further investigation is thatof dairy shed effluent. Waikato is a major centre for dairy farming and dairy shed effluent wastes can createissues such as leachate and eutrophication of waterways and distribution of pathogens. Dairy shed effluent ishowever an ideal ingredient for processing in Anaerobic Digestion (AD). Once processed through AD energycan be recovered and the output can be used as a soil amendment for pasture without the same risks togroundwater, water ways and soil. There may be opportunities for development of on-site digesters or localfacilities that can take tankered material from several sources.6.2.7 Communication and educationWhile the council does undertake waste minimisation communication and education activities, any of the aboveareas are likely to require increased effort in this area to ensure that the community understand why actions arebeing taken, and to discourage unwanted behaviour such as illegal dumping.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201141

7.0 Statement ofoptions7.1 Addressing demandThe areas of demand have been identified in sections 6.2.1 to 6.2.7. In the sections below, options foraddressing the areas of demand are outlined and the potential role for council discussed.7.1.1 Data and monitoringMore reliable data and monitoring of waste in the district will make it easier for the council to deliver itsstrategic waste management responsibilities as set out in the WMA. The council is also the best placed agencyto deliver data collection and monitoring through its ability to pass a bylaw that requires waste operators toprovide information.The council should take a lead agency role in this area as they require the information for waste management,and has the tools to require that the information be provided.At present there is limited ability for the council to access data outside of council controlled waste streams.Accessing this data may require a licensing regime to be established.7.1.2 RegulationThe regulatory tool predominantly used by local authorities to manage waste is the bylaw.A waste bylaw could simply require waste operators to provide information, as discussed above, or morestringent requirements could be put in place such as compulsory recycling, separating waste streams forrecycling, extended litter and illegal dumping controls, and control of cleanfills.The community’s view on the extent of a waste bylaw should be assessed through the WMMP consultationprocess by proposing a range of areas which could be addressed through a bylaw. However the council shouldalso agree a minimum level of control they wish to achieve through a bylaw. The bylaw previously in place inthe Franklin district, which addresses definitions, receptacles, waste placement, collection arrangements, illegaldumping and litter, and licensing could be used as a minimum guideline. A regulatory approach could also beused to encourage or require businesses to manage their waste better, although better data and monitoringwould probably be required before this step could be taken.The council will need to take a lead agency role in this area as they are the only agency with the necessarypowers.It is worthwhile emphasising the potential impact of neighbouring areas on the need to introduce regulationand enforcement. This is particularly the case with regard to cleanfills. Auckland Council’s waste assessmentincludes a proposal to introduce a bylaw regulating cleanfills. If this is implemented it could precipitate themigration of significant quantities of material out of Auckland – in particular material that does not fit thedefinition of cleanfill material under the potential bylaw. In other words such a move could result in theuncontrolled disposal of large quantities of potentially harmful material into the Waikato district. It wouldtherefor, be prudent to monitor the situation in surrounding areas and ensure that regulations and enforcementare at least comparable to neighbouring districts.7.1.3 Waste streamsA significant amount of waste could be diverted from landfill by introducing new collections, altering existingcollection services, and enhancing separation of materials at transfer stations. Waste streams that have potentialfor enhanced diversion include:• Food waste42

• Garden waste• Introducing user pays/reduced frequency of residual waste collections• Timber• Paper and cardboard• Recycling services offered to businesses, particularly small to medium businesses.It is difficult to estimate the impact that new collection services could have without better data and monitoringof waste flows.The council could take a lead agency and/or a supporting role in this area, depending on the extent to which itwishes to be involved in directing the management of non-household waste streams.7.1.4 Charging mechanismsAs discussed above, making residual waste collections user-pays could reduce waste to landfill significantly.There also appears to be potential to review the pricing at transfer stations to encourage desirable behaviour,while not increasing levels of undesirable behaviour such as illegal dumping.Introducing user-pays to varying degrees across the district should be proposed in the WMMP to assess thecommunity’s view. However the council should also consider the evidence demonstrating the effectivenessof user-pays services to reduce waste to landfill, and may wish to propose a minimum level of user-pays vs.targeted rates funding that it wishes to introduce or trial.Transfer station charges should be reviewed and a level of cross-subsidisation proposed (so residual wastecharges are above cost recovery, to subsidise recycling operations) to assess community views.For the transfer stations operated on the council’s behalf by contractors, the council will need to take a leadagency role with support from its contractors.7.1.5 Economic developmentWhile local economic development is a key aspect of a zero waste approach promotion of these opportunitiesis not traditionally within the scope of waste management and minimisation planning. It will be importanttherefore to engage with the council’s economic development unit and other agencies to explore the potentialfor developing opportunities in this area. It is envisaged that council’s role could include:• Integration of zero waste related objectives into plans and policies• Facilitation of new facilities/expansion of existing facilities through planning rules and regulations• Establishment of incentives• Participation in/assistance with trials/pilots• Working with community organisations to establish reuse facilities• Development of appropriate branding and communications.7.1.6 Rural waste sourcesImproved data and monitoring will enable the council to assess whether this is an area requiring additionalaction. Council should propose reviewing this area of service once further information is available. One areathat may be worth further specific investigation is the potential to promote anaerobic digestion on dairy farms.This would lend itself to a cross-agency approach with involvement from the regional council, technologysuppliers, the farming sector, and local economic development agencies.The council should take a lead role in this area.7.1.7 Communication and educationWhile not an area of significant demand at present, taking action in any of the above areas will require increasedcommunication and education. When developing the statements of proposal in this waste assessment, anyaction areas that will impact on communication and education needs will be identified.The council could take a lead role in this area, or could take a supporting role and enable other agencies toWaikato District Council waste assessment 201143

deliver this. The role taken will probably depend on the area being addressed. For example in Raglan, it islogical that the council would support Xtreme Waste to deliver communication and education activities.7.2 Other waste management and minimisationIssues7.2.1 Collection servicesGenerally, customers appear to be satisfied with the collection services provided. There does not seem to beany reason for the council to reduce its role in providing these services. Therefore with the exception of theareas identified above, the council should propose to maintain its existing role in collection service provision.The types of services delivered and their configurations will need to be reviewed however, particularly in lightof the new district boundaries which have resulted in a range of different collection services being provided.There are a range of options for kerbside collection services including:• Frequency of collection• Charges applied• Type of containment (wheeled bins or bags for refuse, wheeled bins or crates for recyclables)• Materials collected• Eligibility to receive the service.These are all potentially contentious issues that may be further complicated by how the provision of theseservices will be incorporated into existing contracts. Any change to the service will need to be fully costed andconsulted upon with householders, contractors and councillors.It is recommended, therefore, that the configuration of these services should be the subject of a separatereview which can ensure the issues are addressed in sufficient detail.7.2.2 Recovery and treatment services and facilitiesWith the exception of the specific areas mentioned above, an assessment of current services and facilitiesshows that the district has access to a wide range of options. It is not considered an area requiring any specificaction by the council.7.2.3 Hazardous and special wastesA review of existing services and facilities suggests that these waste streams are currently well managed, andthere are no significant areas of demand.7.2.4 DisposalThe availability of Hampton Downs landfill within the district’s boundaries means that any disposal needs aremet for the foreseeable future.7.2.5 Producer responsibilityThe council has no direct powers or responsibilities regarding producer responsibility, but may wish to lobbycentral government regarding certain priority products.44

8.0 Statement of thecouncil’s intended role8.1 Statutory obligationsCouncils have a number of statutory obligations in respect of the planning and provision of waste services.These include the following:• Under the WMA the council “must promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisationwithin its district” (s 42).• The WMA also requires territorial authorities (TAs) to develop and adopt a Waste Management andMinimisation Plan (WMMP) 15• The WMA also requires TAs to have regard to the New Zealand Waste Strategy. The NZ Waste Strategyhas two high levels goals: ‘Reducing the harmful effects of waste’ and ‘improving the efficiency of resourceuse’. These goals must be taken into consideration in the development of the council’s waste strategy• Under the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA) the council must consult the public about its plans formanaging waste• Under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), TA responsibility includes controlling the effects ofland-use activities that have the potential to create adverse effects on the natural and physical resources oftheir district. Facilities involved in the disposal, treatment or use of waste or recoverable materials may carrythis potential. Permitted, controlled, discretionary, non-complying and prohibited activities and their controlsare specified within district planning documents, thereby defining further land-use-related resource consentrequirements for waste-related facilities.• Under the Litter Act 1979 TAs have powers to make bylaws, issue infringement notices, and require theclean-up of litter from land.• The Health Act 1956. Health Act provisions for the removal of refuse by local authorities have beenrepealed by local government legislation. The Public Health Bill is currently progressing through Parliament.It is a major legislative reform reviewing and updating the Health Act 1956, but it contains similar provisionsfor sanitary services to those currently contained in the Health Act 1956.• The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (the HSNO Act). The HSNO Act providesminimum national standards that may apply to the disposal of a hazardous substance. However, under theRMA a regional council or TA may set more stringent controls relating to the use of land for storing, using,disposing of or transporting hazardous substances.The council, in determining its role, needs to ensure that its statutory obligations, including those noted above,are met.8.2 Overall strategic direction and roleFeedback from councillor and stakeholder workshops indicates that there is general support among thecommunity and council to continue with a zero waste philosophy, supported by realistic and achievable goalsand targets.A key part of a zero waste approach is to consider the role of waste in the wider economy – in other words toconsider issues of resource efficiency and viewing waste as a resource, rather than as an issue to be ‘managed’.15 The development of a WMMP in the WMA is a requirement modified from Part 31 of the LGA 1974, but witheven greater emphasis on waste minimisation.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201145

This means integrating waste into economic development plans and initiatives.Building on this, another key part of the zero waste approach is the view that waste is not just a councilproblem but ultimately resides with all sectors of the community to solve. While council, through its statutoryobligations and its traditional involvement in waste issues, has a natural leadership role, it is vital that part ofthis role entails securing the commitment of all sectors, and ensuring that there are clear action plans for eachsector to follow.It is proposed that part of the council’s role may be to provide appropriate regulatory and economic incentiveframeworks to steer activity. 16In addition to the above it is proposed that council continue to provide a range of waste management andminimisation services similar to those in place currently.The council’s role is likely to be wide-ranging therefore and is expected to encompass the following:• Leadership in advocating zero waste in the community, including establishing partnerships and informationsharing as appropriate• Integration of zero waste into economic development, policy and planning• Integration of zero waste and local economic development impacts into council procurement policies• Development and monitoring of an appropriate framework of regulation and incentives• Monitoring and enforcement of waste related bylaws and legislation• Gathering, analysis and reporting of waste data• Provision (either directly or through contracts) of kerbside refuse and recycling collection services, transferstation operations, drop off facilities, and communication and education• Development of new services as appropriate• Development of waste management and minimisation plans• Advocating policy positions to central government, neighbouring authorities, and private and communityorganisations that are consistent with the councils zero waste objectivesIt is expected that the implementation of these proposals will meet forecast demand for services as well assupport the council’s goals and objectives for waste management and minimisation. These goals and objectiveswill be confirmed as part of the development and adoption of the Waste Management and Minimisation Planprior to July 2012.16 Although there is concern that a stronger approach to regulatory and economic instrument tools might encouragemore unwanted activities such as illegal dumping, there is also a recognition that a stronger approach is probablyrequired to achieve a significant difference in waste going to landfill.46

9.0 Statement ofproposalsThese statements of proposal form the action plan section of the draft Waste Management and MinimisationPlan. The key action areas are outlined below. The final actions undertaken will depend on the outcome ofthe statutory consultation process for the draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.9.1 Communication, education and consultation9.1.1 Community partnershipsThe council will support community waste partnerships (CWPs) where they exist, and encourage establishmentof new partnerships. This will require input from the community as well as the council and will be fundedthrough waste levy funds.9.1.2 Communication and consultationWaste levy funds will also be set aside to provide for community involvement in waste management planning,whether through CWPs or other means. Once again this will require input from the community as well as thecouncil.9.1.3 EducationThe council will use waste levy funds (approximately $90,000 in 2010/11, or $1.50 per capita per annum)to provide regular and detailed information about waste services, waste prevention and waste reduction, inpartnership with the community.9.1.4 Regional partnershipsThe council will continue their existing partnership working with other local authorities and regional councils.This will be carried out in consultation with CWPs where appropriate.9.2 Taking direct action, fostering new ideas9.2.1 Waste Management Sector Working GroupThe council will initiate the establishment of a working group for the waste management sector, to encouragecommunication between this sector, the council, and the community, and to have an input into the directiontaken by this sector, particularly with respect to facilities that are capable of diverting priority waste streams.While the working group will require the input of the waste sector, other councils, and community; the councilwill establish an internal working group to support their interaction with the working group, particularly focusingon definitions and policy approaches. This is envisaged to involve minimal cost.9.3 Changing the rules, monitoring and feedback9.3.1 Waste bylawThe Council will review the existing Waikato and Franklin District Council bylaws, and review as appropriateto address issues such as operator licensing, cleanfill operation, and service provision by the private sector, etc.The council will consult with the community to develop the bylaw, and the statutory consultation process alsoapplies. The review will be funded by general rates.9.3.2 Review waste chargesThe council will review all their waste charges, to ensure true cost-recovery pricing is in place whereWaikato District Council waste assessment 201147

appropriate, while still encouraging reuse and recycling. It will also be important to ensure that public funds donot subsidise private operations. Where CWPs exist, this review will be carried out in discussion with them,and with the council’s contractors.9.3.3 EnforcementTo ensure the bylaw operates effectively, enforcement should be undertaken.The council will investigate the potential to delegate this role to CWPs and/or contractors where appropriate.To ensure that enforcement activity is proportionate and effective, there will be regular performance reviewsand the community will be consulted to identify areas where enforcement should be focused. While bylawenforcement operations can often be self-funding, there may be some funding required from general rates.9.3.4 Solid waste analysis surveysThe council will continue to carry out regular surveys of kerbside collections, and will expand these toincorporate other areas such as transfer station waste. This will ensure that the council is identifying allopportunities to improve waste minimisation and management, and to monitor progress of other actions.Depending on the scope and frequency of surveying agreed in the WMMP, the council may require waste levyfunding.9.3.5 Monitor waste flowsThe bylaw mentioned above in section 9.3.1 will also enable the council to monitor waste flows not collectedor transferred by them, and of waste flows into or out of the district. As occurs in other areas, the costs ofadministering this part of the bylaw will be recovered through administration charges for licensed contractors.9.4 Recyclable commodities9.4.1 Maintain/expand kerbside collectionThe council will continue to provide collection of recyclables at the kerbside, and to consider opportunitiesto expand the collection to new areas of the district. The council will also assess the potential to provide thekerbside recycling collection to schools, kindergartens, and kohanga reo. This process will involve CWPs and/orcontractors where applicable. Where new services are provided, they will be funded through targeted rates asat present.The council will also work with contractors and/or CWPs to identify initiatives that will expand the existingkerbside recycling collection, such as collecting additional recyclables on occasion, providing an additionalreceptacle which could target specific material streams, analysing waste analysis surveys to identify additionalmaterials to be included where a cost/benefit analysis supports inclusion.9.4.2 Commercial recycling collectionThe council will investigate the potential for a commercial recycling collection service in parts of the district,for businesses, large schools, etc. The council will discuss their findings with the Waste Management SectorWorking Group to explore options as to how these services could be provided and where material would beprocessed. This could result in several outcomes; services being offered by community groups, and/or privatesector collectors, and/or the council.To support this initiative, the council will investigate how businesses could be encouraged to recycle throughbylaw mechanisms.This initiative will prioritise glass and paper/cardboard.9.4.3 Drop-off facilitiesThe council will continue to maintain existing drop-off facilities, and will investigate options to provide additionaldrop-off facilities to service rural areas and holiday destinations. The council will work with and negotiate withcontractors and/or CWPs to provide necessary services, funded through targeted rates.9.4.4 RTS facilitiesExisting refuse transfer facilities will be maintained, but charging will be reviewed and the council will negotiate48

with contractors/CWPs to ensure consistent charging across the district.The council will also assess the capital required to upgrade existing RTSs so that all can accommodate reuse,C&D waste recycling, and expanded e-waste services.RTS provision and improvement would be a combination of user charges, targeted rates, and capitalexpenditure. The council would need to have the input of contractors, CWPs and the community.9.4.5 TransportThe council will continue to transport recyclables to markets for processing, funded by targeted rates.9.5 Food and garden waste9.5.1 Food waste collectionThe council will keep a watching brief on the Xtreme Waste organic waste trial project.Once outcomes from this trial are known, the council will decide whether to investigate the provision of auser-friendly weekly kerbside food waste collection and processing services. Investigations, and part of the costof any new services, would be funded by waste levy funds and also by savings in expenditure in other wastemanagement areas that should be realised at this point.The council will also investigate the potential for a commercial food waste collection on a user pays basis,working with the Waste Management Sector Working Group to explore options for service provision andprocessing.9.5.2 Garden waste collectionThe council will investigate the provision of a user-pays garden waste collection to parts of the district.9.6 Inorganic/C&D/litter9.6.1 C&D wasteIn addition to actions outlined above for RTSs, the council will also work with the Waste Management SectorWorking Group to improve services and facilities for C&D waste recycling in general, on a user pays basis.9.6.2 Inorganic wasteThe council will investigate making the transition from a rates funded inorganic collection service to an on-calluser pays service.9.6.3 Litter bins and collectionThe council will continue to provide the rates funded litter bin and loose litter collection services.9.6.4 Illegal dumpingIn addition to actions described above regarding bylaws and enforcement, the council will continue to providea rates-funded illegal dumping removal service. During removal, information will be collected to quantify waste,monitor locations and waste types, and define priority areas for enforcement action.9.7 Hazardous/liquid/gaseous wastes9.7.1 BiosolidsThe council will carry out a review of existing biosolids storage, including quantifying current and futurequantities of biosolids requiring management.This review will inform discussions with the Waste Management Sector Working Group, to ensure thatconsideration of service and facility provision accommodates biosolids management, particularly for beneficialend use.While alternative processing is not available, biosolids will be managed and disposed of responsibly.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201149

9.7.2 Hazardous wastesThe council will continue to offer services for hazardous waste at RTSs, and will also work with CWPs/contractors to extend the range of hazardous waste items that are accepted at RTSs.9.8 Residual waste9.8.1 Residual waste collectionsThe council will investigate the potential to reduce residual waste collection frequencies alongside introductionof a food waste collection, user-pays green waste collection, and expanded recycling collections. Theintroduction of these other services will mean that residual waste collections no longer need to be so frequent.9.8.2 Transfer and disposalAny residual waste collected by the council or passing through RTSs will be transported to an appropriatedisposal facility.50

A.1.0 Medical officer ofhealth statementWaikato District Council waste assessment 201151

A.2.0 Factors affectingfuture demandA.2.1A.2.1.1Population and household growthPopulation growthThe district has changed significantly since the expansion of the boundary to the north. Previous predictionswere that the population of the district would increase by 97 per cent by 2061 17 . Estimates for the district’spopulation prior to the boundary changes are shown below.EstimatedpopulationNov 2010boundaries2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 201054,100 55,400 56,600 57,700 58,700 59,900 60,700 61,800 62,800 63,800Growth (%) 2.4% 2.2% 1.9% 1.7% 2.0% 1.3% 1.8% 1.6% 1.6%EstimatedpopulationJune 2010boundariesSource: www.stats.govt.nz, subnational population estimates45,400 47,600 48,300Statistics New Zealand has updated its population estimates to reflect the 1 November 2010 boundarychanges. This shows an estimated increase in population following the boundary changes of 15,500.Despite uncertainties around the current population and predicted growth in the district, it is very likely thatgrowth will continue, and current indications are that this growth will accelerate over the next 20 years.Analysis by the council in partnership with the University of Waikato have resulted in the predictions forpopulation shown below.Table 21: Forecasted district populationEstimated populationNov 2010 boundaries2009 2010 2011 2012 2021 2022 203162,800 63,800 64,066 65,081 75,740 76,997 86,982Growth (%) 1.6% 1.6% 0.42% 1.6%Estimated populationJune 2010 boundariesSource: Waikato District Council47,600 48,30016.4%(tenyears)1.7%13.0%(nineyears)The ethnic makeup of the district is unlikely to change significantly following the boundary changes. In 2009, thedistrict’s population was 69 per cent European (compared to 67.6 per cent across New Zealand) and 25.9 percent Maori (14.6 per cent across New Zealand). The remainder were of Pacific and Asian origin.17 Based on 2006 statistics NZ figuresWaikato District Council waste assessment 201153

A.2.2Economic growthEconomic growth has traditionally been correlated with waste production. Higher levels of economic activityleads to greater production and consumption of goods and this in turn can lead to higher quantities of waste.A common measure of economic growth is Gross Domestic Product (GDP). With no historical waste data, itis not possible to demonstrate a correlation between waste volumes and GDP within the district.However analysis of data from other parts of New Zealand has been analysed in this way, and shows a strongcorrelation between waste and GDP.In recent time, GDP growth has fallen sharply and at the time of writing this report NZ had experienced sevenconsecutive quarters of negative economic growth. Economic forecasts vary with some predicting an extendedperiod of weak growth 18 before the economy recovers to previous historical levels.In terms of planning for waste facilities and services however it is important to ensure demand is met and so itis prudent to take a more optimistic view. Below are GDP forecasts to 2016 which indicate a return to growthof around 3 per cent per annum by 2010.Table 22: GDP and GDP growth to 20162010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016GDP ($m) 34,140 35,329 36,151 37,248 38,378 39,542 40,439GDP growth 3.42% 3.48% 2.33% 3.03% 3.03% 3.03% 2.27%Source: Goldman Sachs JB WereOn the basis of the correlation noted above, the trend in GDP would indicate a reduction in waste over thecoming year followed by a return to historical levels of waste growth.A.2.3Recycling marketsRecovery of materials from the waste stream for recycling and reuse is heavily dependent on the recoveredmaterials having an economic value. This particularly holds true for recovery of materials in the private sector.Markets for recycled commodities are influenced by prevailing economic conditions and most significantly bycommodity prices for the equivalent virgin materials.In the latter part of 2008, after the global economic crisis, international markets for recycled commodities fellsharply. Prices for aluminium cans dropped from $1000 a tonne to $100. Plastics, on average, fell from $280a tonne to $200, steel from $700 to $100 and copper from $8000 to $4000. Cardboard and paper pricesalso dropped 90 per cent. 19 Since this time demand and prices have recovered to a degree but not to previouslevels. While the fall appears dramatic, prices were falling from record highs and have in real terms simplyreturned to pre-boom prices. This is illustrated in Figure 5.18 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/economy/news/article.cfm?c_id=34&objectid=10580231&pnum=219 http://www.stuff.co.nz/4810576a13.html54

Figure 5: International commodity prices 2001-2009Source: MfE Solid Waste Composition Report Card in http://www.mfe.govt.nz/environmental-reporting/report-cards/waste-composition/2009/index.htmlThe fall in the markets led to stockpiling of materials by recyclers, and has put strain on the industry. Althoughthe recycling industry is struggling and some collectors have pulled back from collecting materials to the sameextent as previously 20 the industry did not experience any significant exits from the market or reduction in totalcapacity. Markets and market prices have, to a large degree, stabilised in the period since the global financialcrisis, driven principally by the continued economic growth in China and other Asian economies.Therefore it seems likely that any increase in demand for processing would be able to be met by the privatesector, contingent on the ongoing transport of recyclables to these markets.A.2.4Central government policy & legislationThere are a number of key policies and pieces of legislation that may influence demand for waste minimisationand management in the Waikato district. These are discussed in the following subsections.A.2.4.1 The Waste Minimisation Act 2008The Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA) provides a regulatory framework for waste minimisation thathad previously been based on largely voluntary initiatives and the involvement of territorial authorities underprevious legislation, including Local Government Act 1974, Local Government Amendment Act (No 4) 1996,and Local Government Act 2002. The purpose of the WMA is to encourage a reduction in the amount ofwaste disposed of in New Zealand.In summary, the WMA:• Clarifies the roles and responsibilities of territorial authorities with respect to waste minimisation egupdating Waste Management and Minimisation Plans (WMMPs) and collecting/administering levy funding for20 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/recycling/news/article.cfm?c_id=614&objectid=10559396Waikato District Council waste assessment 201155

waste minimisation projects• Requires that a Territorial Authority promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisationwithin its district (Section 42)• Requires that when preparing a WMMP a Territorial Authority must consider the following methods ofwaste management and minimisation in the following order of importance:• Reduction• Reuse• Recycling• Recovery• Treatment• Disposal.• Put a levy on all waste disposed of in a landfill, initially at $10 per tonne effective as of 1 July 2009; 50 percent of the funds collected will be provided to Territorial Authorities to be spent on the implementationof their waste minimisation and management plans. The remainder, less any administration costs, go into acontestable fund for waste minimisation initiatives. The levy will help dis-incentivise landfill and levy fundingis available to support waste diversion projects• Facilitates or enforces producers, brand owners, importers, retailers, consumers and other parties to takeresponsibility for the environmental effects of their products – from ‘cradle-to-grave’ through voluntary andmandatory product stewardship schemes. There may be implications for local authorities which currentlydeal with these products in their waste streams or who are party to voluntary programmes• Allows for regulations to be made making it mandatory for certain groups (for example, landfill operators)to report on waste to improve information on waste minimisation. This will impact on councils owning oroperating landfills• Introduces a new Waste Advisory Board to give independent advice to the Minister for the Environment onwaste minimisation issues.Various aspects of the Waste Minimisation Act are discussed in more detail below.A.2.4.2National landfill levyFrom 1 July 2009 the National Waste Levy came in to effect, adding $10 per tonne to the cost of landfilldisposal. At $10 a tonne, the levy appears unlikely in the short term to encourage more businesses to findalternatives to landfilling their waste. The government has indicated that the levy will increase – howevertimeframes surrounding the increase are currently unknown. Nevertheless, when the increase is announced theimpact will become gradually more significant as a proportion of disposal costs – a cost which will undoubtedlybe passed directly onto customers. This provides a clear driver for reducing waste to landfill over the short tomedium term in anticipation of the inevitable increasing costs associated with landfill.A.2.4.3Product stewardshipThe Waste Minimisation Act (2008) (Part 2) makes provision for the government to introduce a requirementfor products to be declared priority products and for such products to be required to be part of a productstewardship scheme. The purpose of product stewardship schemes are to ensure effective reduction, reuse,recycling or recovery of the product and to manage any environmental harm arising from the product when itbecomes waste 21 .The Ministry for the Environment’s 2009 discussion document 22 identifies three wastes: agricultural chemicals,used oil and refrigerant gases as primary candidates for priority products. A further eight products are identifiedas potential priority products including computers and electronic equipment, packaging, paint, plasterboard and21 Waste Management Act 2008 2(8)22 Ministry for the Environment (2009), Waste Minimisation in New Zealand – A discussion document from theMinistry for the Environment. Wellington56

tyres. Most of these products are the subject of voluntary schemes currently and the government has indicatedit will monitor the outcomes of these voluntary schemes before deciding on their priority product status.The following schemes have currently been accredited by the Minister for the Environment:• Geocycle Holcim Used Oil Recovery Scheme – used oil collection and disposal scheme.• The PlasbackTM - scheme to recover used farm plastics for recycling.• The Glass Packaging Forum’s glass packaging product stewardship scheme - scheme for reducing theamount of glass packaging sent to landfill.• Agrecovery Rural Recycling Programme– scheme to recover agrichemical plastic containers, silage wrap,crop protection net and agrichemicals.• Refrigerant Recovery- scheme to collect and destruct unwanted synthetic refrigerants, chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons.The council has the opportunity to benefit from the introduction of product stewardship schemes as they mayimprove the recovery and diversion of products the council currently manages. Of particular importance in theWaikato district is the Agrecovery scheme.A.2.4.4Waste minimisation fundThe Waste Minimisation Fund has been set up by the Ministry for the Environment to help fund wasteminimisation projects and to improve New Zealand’s waste minimisation performance through:• Investment in infrastructure• Investment in waste minimisation systems• Increasing educational and promotional capacity.Criteria for the Waste Minimisation Fund have been published:1. Only waste minimisation projects are eligible for funding. Projects must promote or achieve wasteminimisation. Waste minimisation covers the reduction of waste and the reuse, recycling andrecovery of waste and diverted material. The scope of the fund includes educational projectsthat promote waste minimisation activity.2. Projects must result in new waste minimisation activity, either by implementing new initiatives or asignificant expansion in the scope or coverage of existing activities.3. Funding is not for the ongoing financial support of existing activities, nor is it for the running costs ofthe existing activities of organisations, individuals, councils or firms.4. Projects should be for a discrete timeframe of up to three years, after which the project objectives willhave been achieved and, where appropriate, the initiative will become self-funding.5. Funding can be for operational or capital expenditure required to undertake a project.6. For projects where alternative, more suitable, government funding streams are available (such asthe Sustainable Management Fund, the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund, or research fundingfrom the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology), applicants should apply to these fundingsources before applying to the Waste Minimisation Fund.7. The applicant must be a legal entity.8. The fund will not cover the entire cost of the project. Applicants will need part funding from othersources.9. The minimum grant for feasibility studies will be $10,000.00. The minimum grant for other projects willbe $50,000.00.(Source: www.mfe.govt.nz)Assessment criteria have also been published by the Ministry, and workshops have been held around NewZealand to explain the application process and the criteria. Those applying for funding need to remember theWaikato District Council waste assessment 201157

goal of the Fund, and ensure that their application demonstrates a contribution to these goals.The latest information available on the fund suggests that the main assessment point is likely to be whatthe Ministry describe as ‘largest net benefit over time’ eg amount of waste diverted from landfill per dollarof funding), alongside supporting criteria such as likelihood of success, reducing environmental harm, widersustainability benefits, and longevity. Projects that can act as trailblazers for the rest of New Zealand will also befavoured. The Ministry strongly encourages partnership working and collaboration.While no minimum ‘match’ funding has been specified, the Ministry has made it clear that projects with higherlevels of match funding will be seen as demonstrating successful collaboration and a greater likelihood of successand longevity.The first funding round opened on 1 December 2009, and applications closed at 5pm on 1 March 2010.Successful projects commenced in August 2010. The next funding round ran during in January – March2011, with projects starting in August/September 2011. A third round is expected in late 2011 and MfE hasannounced that this will be a ‘targeted’ round.A.2.4.5Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)In its current form, The Climate Change (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2008 will require landfill ownersto surrender emission units to cover methane emissions generated from the landfill, thereby impacting on thecost of landfilling. Should any future solid waste incineration plants be constructed, the Act would also requireemission units to be surrendered to cover carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions from theincineration of household wastes. The waste sector will not formally enter the ETS until 1 January 2011, atwhich time voluntary reporting can occur. Mandatory reporting requirements will apply from January 2012 andemission units will need to be surrendered as of 2013.Emissions for waste will be accounted for within the year that the waste is disposed of to landfill – ie the totalamount of methane that waste is expected to produce will be calculated, reported, and require NZUs in theyear it goes to landfill. This does mean that closed landfills will not require any reporting or NZUs. ‘Legacy’closed landfills have been excluded from the ETS.The definition of a disposal facility will be the same as applies in the Waste Minimisation Act (2008).This DEF assumes that no landfill gases are collected or destroyed in any way, and incorporates an assumptionthat 10 per cent of methane in a capped landfill is oxidised to CO2 before being emitted to the atmosphere.For a DFO to use a UEF, they must carry out a prescribed Solid Waste Analysis Protocol (SWAP) surveyprocess for a year’s waste. This SWAP survey must categorise the waste by source, as municipal solid waste,commercial and industrial, building and demolition, and other. Within each source, the fraction of the followingwaste materials must be calculated: food waste, garden waste, paper, wood, textiles, nappies, sewage sludge,and other.For each of these waste materials, a standard proportion of degradable organic carbon (DOC) has beencalculated. These are shown in Table 23. ‘Other materials’ are assumed to have zero DOC.Table 23: Proportions of degradable organic carbon, by materialWaste materialDOCFood waste 0.15Green waste 0.20Paper 0.40Wood 0.43Textiles 0.24Nappies 0.24Sewage sludge 0.05The regulations require landfill operators to undertake two waste surveys over a 12 month period with the58

surveys at least three months apart to allow for seasonal variation – although it could be argued this would bemore accurately measured if surveys were required to be five - six months apart.The users of SWAP surveys, and UEFs, are required to re-establish the composition of each waste source at 10yearly intervals.DFOs that reduce their methane emissions to the atmosphere by flaring or through energy production carryout a net methane calculation. Once again, these DFOs need to apply for a UEF. DFOs are required tocalculate their own efficiency rate of methane collection and destruction. These calculations must incorporatean assumption that 10 per cent of methane in a capped landfill is oxidised to CO2 before being emitted to theatmosphere (although the TAG report notes that DFOs could apply to calculate their own unique oxidationfactor).A.2.4.6NZ Waste Strategy targetsThe revised NZWS was released in October 2010. The new strategy adopts two of the three overarchinggoals from the previous (2002) NZWS. These are:1. Reducing the harmful effects of waste2. Improving the efficiency of resource useThe NZWS 2010 is a departure from the previous strategy in that it has moved away from an overarchingobjective of zero waste, and that it does not present any specific targets for waste minimisation.The intent of the 2010 strategy is to enable a more flexible approach to waste management and encouragedevelopment of locally-appropriate targets and solutions, and to efficiently allocate waste management andminimisation effort and resources.A.2.5Changes in lifestyles and consumptionHousehold waste growth is not just a New Zealand phenomenon. In 1997 OECD countries produced 540million tonnes of MSW annually (approximately 500kg per person). Waste grew at an average annual rate of1.8 per cent between 1980 and 1985, 3.6 per cent between 1985 and 1990, and 1 per cent between 1990 and1997 23 . A report by the OECD 24 noted the following driving forces behind current and projected householdconsumption patterns:1. Rising per capita income2. Demographics (more working women, more single person households, larger retirement population)3. Accompanying changes in lifestyles leading to individualised buying patterns4. Shift towards more processed and packaged products5. Higher levels of appliance ownership6. Wider use of services and recreation7. Technology8. Institutions and infrastructure that create the prevailing conditions faced by householders23 Towards Sustainable Household Consumption? Trends and Policies in OECD Countries, OECD 2002, p 5324 Ibid, p12.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201159

Figure 6 below shows the growth in municipal waste plotted against GDP and population. The chart showsthat waste has tended to increase at a rate slightly below GDP but noticeably above the level of populationgrowth.Figure 6: Municipal waste generation, GDP and population in OECD countries 1980 - 2020source OECD 2001A study by the EPA 25 compared levels of GDP, population growth, and consumer spending as measures topredict waste arisings. The study used historical data to establish the predictive accuracy of these measures andfound the best predictor of waste arisings levels to be consumer spending.Research from the UK suggests that underlying the longer-term pattern of household waste growth is anincrease in the quantity of materials consumed by the average household and that this in turnsource is drivenby rising levels of household expenditure 26 .At a district level the data regarding economic growth projections is sparse. At a national level, TheDepartment of Building and Housing report on projections from the Reserve Bank, whose GDP forecasts for2011 stood at 2.8 per cent, but which had previously been forecast at 3.5 per cent. Recent New ZealandInstitute of Economic Research (NZIER) predictions also became more pessimistic in September 2010 thanthey previously had been with a forecast of 2.2 per cent growth in 2010 and 1.2 per cent in 2011. 27Forecasts therefore appear to be predicting gradual economic recovery – but the climate is uncertain. Theimplications for waste management are therefore that no significant increases should be expected as a resultof any rapid growth in economic activity, but there is a need to ensure that planned changes in services andfacilities are sufficiently ‘future proofed’.25 EPA, 1999. National Source Reduction Characterisation Report For Municipal Solid Waste in the United States26 Eunomia (2007), Household Waste Prevention Policy Side Research Programme, Final Report for Defra, London,England27 Department of Building and Housing (2010) Website page: Economic growth and industry, Updated September2010, Available: http://www.dbh.govt.nz/economic-growth-industry60

A.3.0 CouncillorworkshopA.3.1IntroductionA.3.1.1 Date & timeThe workshop was held from 9:30 to 10:30am on 11 April 2011, at the council offices in Galileo St,Ngaruawahia.A.3.1.2PurposeThe purpose of the workshop was to explain the new waste management planning process to councillors,present initial results for waste data, and hear the views of councillors on how waste management andminimisation services in the district should be developed, with a focus on the areas that are relevant to thewaste assessment stage.Under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 all councils must review their Waste Management and MinimisationPlans (WMMPs) prior to June 2012. As part of this review, Waikato District Council is undertaking a wasteassessment.The waste assessment takes stock of current services, looks at potential future demand for waste services,and develops initial options for addressing future demand. A waste assessment is a mandatory first step toproducing a new waste management and minimisation plan.The focus at this point of the process is on a few key areas where feedback from the council and thecouncillors is important. This workshop aimed to explore councillors’ opinions on these areas, but also toexplain how the process will work and why the council is undertaking this process now.A.3.2Time9:30amItemAgendaWelcome – Glen McIntosh and Richard Bax, Waikato District Council9:35am Presentation from Lisa Eve, Eunomia Research and Consulting, and Bruce Middleton, WasteNot Consulting – waste assessment and WMMP process, Waikato District waste services andwaste data9:40am Presentation from Lisa Eve, Eunomia Research and Consulting on the waste assessment andWMMP process, Waikato District waste services, and waste data10:20am Plenary Session led by Lisa Eve, Eunomia Research and Consulting -10:30am10:45amDiscussion of broad aims and objectivesIdentification of key issues for discussion (e.g.):• Council’s role• Council’s vision• Meeting demandCoffee BreakContinuing discussion of key issues11:30amSession closeWaikato District Council waste assessment 201161

A.3.3Plenary sessionThe plenary session involved canvassing ideas on the overall direction for waste management in the district,with a view to these ideas feeding into the waste assessment, and the development of a vision and set of aimsand objectives for the WMMP. There was also discussion as to the extent to which the council might bemeeting demand for waste management in the district.Many points were noted during this session, and these have been categorised under these topic headings. Foreach heading, the comments made during the session are summarised, and a summary of potential issues forfuture discussion or consideration are highlighted:A.3.3.1Current servicesIn general councillors believe that feedback on services is excellent at the moment and residents appear tobe very happy with the kerbside services provided to them. Comments were made such as ‘council needs tokeep it simple – the current system seems to work’. Some believed that it may be better to make incrementalchanges than to implement complicated solutions – and that it is important to manage waste well at areasonable price.A.3.3.2Facility and processing optionsA few councillors queried whether incineration might be a potential management option. Transfer stationswere also identified as facilities where attention was required – such as addressing perceived operational issues,potentially introducing remuneration-linked KPIs for contractors to improve performance, and reviewing thesystem of gate fees (although there was little consensus on how – with increases, decreases, and variablepricing to encourage recycling all mentioned). A number of councillors mentioned that perceived high costs fordisposal discourages responsible behaviour, with the potential outcome being increased illegal dumping whichis also council’s problem. On the other hand, the point was also raised that there needed to be incentives toseparate waste streams, which is a key to diverting more waste from landfill.A.3.3.3Regulatory approachCouncillors would prefer to have a framework through which people are encouraged to do the right thingrather than ‘draconian regulations’. There was some discussion around the role of the regional council inenforcement and regulation, particularly as this relates to cleanfills, and whether this should be a regional or adistrict council responsibility.Later in the session there was further discussion of illegal dumping and similar problems. There was generalacknowledgement that while more education on this issue was required, the problem was unlikely to go awaythrough education alone.A.3.3.4Council’s visionCouncillors continue to support the vision of zero waste, and would like to see this remain in some form thatcommunicates the concept properly.It was agreed that during the process of drafting the waste assessment, the project team would propose draftvisions for consideration.A.3.3.5Meeting demandCouncillors believe that they are meeting the demand for household waste services quite well. They wouldlike to see contractors operating the transfer stations controlled more tightly to better reduce waste, and forcouncil to lobby central government for product stewardship schemes.A.3.3.6ConclusionThe views received at this councillor’s workshop, and the later stakeholder’s workshop, will be incorporatedin to the draft waste assessment. Certain areas will be emphasised to ensure that the full responsibilities, andpotentially expanded role, of council is appreciated by councillors when considering this draft.62

A.4.0 StakeholderworkshopA.4.1A.4.1.1IntroductionDate & timeThe workshop was held from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, 27 April, at the Council offices, Galileo St, Ngaruawahia.A.4.1.2PurposeThe purpose of the workshop was to hear the views of key members of the community on how wastemanagement and minimisation services in the district should be developed.Under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 all councils must review their Waste Management and MinimisationPlans (WMMPs) prior to June 2012. As part of this review, Waikato District Council is undertaking a wasteassessment.The waste assessment takes stock of current services, looks at potential future demand for waste services, anddevelops initial options for addressing future demand. A waste assessment is an essential first step to producinga new waste management and minimisation plan.Although there is no formal requirement for consultation as part of the waste assessment, the council believesthe views of key stakeholders in the community are vital in shaping any plans, and therefore commissioned thisworkshop to ensure these views are taken into account at an early stage.As such, the workshop was not aiming to reach any form of consensus or broad agreement regarding thepotential direction or content of the plan, but simply to canvass the range of views held by the community.A.4.2Time4:15pm4:30pmAgendaItemRegistrationWelcome – Glen McIntosh, Waikato District Council4:35pm Presentation from Lisa Eve, Eunomia Research and Consulting on the waste assessment andWMMP process, Waikato District waste services, and waste data4:55pm Plenary Session led by Lisa Eve, Eunomia Research and Consulting -5:35pmDiscussion of broad aims and objectivesIdentification of key issues for discussion (e.g.):• Council’s role• Cleanfills• Regulation• Education and communicationCoffee BreakWaikato District Council waste assessment 201163

Time5:45pmItemGroup working:(continuation of discussion of key issues):Group 1: Council’s role, regulation, incentives, leviesGroup 2: Opportunities, economic development, responsibility for targets, communication andeducation6:20pm6:30pmGroup 3: Special wastes, illegal dumping, cleanfills, other waste streamsReporting back and summary of workshopSession closeA.4.3NameLisa EveWorkshop attendeesOrganisationEunomia Research and ConsultingDuncan WilsonGlen McIntoshRichard BaxRachael GoddardJacqui ForbesRich ThorpeDanelle MatthewsTrish ForsythSue EdmondsClaire BullMaggie WilcockJohn BridgmanJudy JamiesonRobert LindGary McGuireBill Van der VlietBernadette JacksonEunomia Research and ConsultingWaikato District CouncilWaikato District CouncilECOESXtreme WasteXtreme WasteMetro WasteNgaruawahia Community BoardEureka Community CommitteeGlen Massey Community CommitteeTamahere Community CommitteeGordonton Community CommitteeMaramarua Community CommitteeEnvirofertEnvirofertFulton HoganPrimary FocusA.4.4Plenary workshop sessionThe plenary session involved canvassing ideas on the overall direction for waste management in the district,with a view to these ideas feeding into the waste assessment, and the development of a vision and set of aimsand objectives for the WMMP.The following points were noted from the session:64

• A vision of zero waste is supported – but it needs to be communicated clearly to avoid putting people off.Zero waste should be the overall vision, supported by specific targets. Prefer the term ‘resource’ to ‘waste’– should focus on opportunities and benefits• Goals and targets that focus on 2020 are still useful• Targets should be set for benefits as well as more traditional diversion objectives• Education and communication – need to reassure that recycling is actually recycled, perhaps by providinginformation about what goes where for final useThe second part of the plenary session focused on generating ideas for the topics that would form the basis ofthe discussions in the groups. The first four topics were the key areas of discussion at the councillor’s workshopand the group agreed they should be carried over to this workshop. From the discussion the following topicswere agreed:1. The council’s role2. Cleanfills3. Regulation4. Education & communication5. Regulation6. Incentives/levies7. Opportunities8. Economic development9. Responsibility – for targets10. Special wastes & other specific waste streams11. Illegal dumpingA.4.5Group workshop sessionThe topics developed in the plenary session and noted above were divided into three sets for one of threegroups to work on. Participants were asked to choose the group they wanted to attend based on the topicsselected for discussion in that group.The groups and topics were as follows:Group 1:Group 2:Group 3:A.4.5.1Council’s role, regulation, incentives, leviesOpportunities, economic development, responsibility for targets, education & communicationSpecial wastes, illegal dumping, cleanfills, and other waste streams.Group 1 - workshop notesThis is a summary of the points raised during the workshops. They are the views of the individual participantsand do represent council’s policy.Council’s role• Issue• Don’t want an overly prescriptive approach, but do want the council support to create a level playingfield• Potential solutions include: • The council provides a framework to support good waste management, not necessarily delivering thisthemselves but encouraging the private sector to work in ways that will achieve goals and objectivesWaikato District Council waste assessment 201165

• Contracts could form a part of this but in a partnership approach based on goals and objectives; notnecessarily specific service contractsRegulation• Issues• Little information and data available – statistics are important• Some poor operating practice• Use of regulation could include:• Licensing operators• Requiring robust reporting across the board• Ensuring the level playing field mentioned aboveLevyThere was little discussion of the levy as the group felt that central government held responsibility for this.Spending of the council’s portion of the levy was not seen as a key issue at this stage.Incentives• Issues• Residents are seen as being apathetic in some cases• Solutions• A ‘user-pays’ system such as that used in Raglan and other parts of the district could be implementedconsistently.• Areas with no kerbside rubbish collection could pose concerns – although collections could be used bylinking in with existing collections (customer makes part of the journey themselves)• Potentially costs could be reduced by doing things smarter/less often – e.g. reducing frequency ofrubbish collections when possible• The benefit of these changes needs to be communicated• User-paid bags or stickers accepted at all transfer stations• Support transfer station pricing that encourages good behaviour i.e. incentivises recycling/separation• Segregation of materials at the transfer station is seen as key.A.4.5.2Opportunities• Financial savingsGroup 2 – workshop notes• Employment opportunities• Environmental benefits• Tourism – brand the district• Develop and attract the re-processing industry• District is ideally placed for economic development around this industry – in the ‘golden triangle’between Auckland, Tauranga and Hamilton• Dairy effluent should go to anaerobic digestion• Carbon neutral – is it possible? Can we?• Carbon sequestration through organics back into soils • Organic waste – opportunities at Envirofert. If organic waste is collected, residual waste collectionscould be fortnightly66

• Agriculture, energy and dairy opportunities• Environmental Fertilisers are also not far away (Kerepehi)• Reuse is important – maximise access to unwanted household goods, and by doing so, create jobs,income, and make life easier for low-income families (note that this links strongly to education)• Resource recovery centres in all small towns i.e. Tuakau, Ngaruawahia, and Huntly – should be forewaste, whiteware and C&D waste at least.Economic development• When contracting for services, need to consider the total cost/value of the contract – ie not necessarilybest price, but best value. Comment that contracting services to international companies is likeexporting ratepayer dollars• Council procurement policy – the council could set an example through what they spend their moneyon [The council does do this but does not publicise it]• ‘power the farm’ – small-scale windpower, anaerobic digestion and feed back in to the national grid?Latter would also produce bio-product which could be spread.Education• Need an enabling policy for new technologies – consents and funding• Look at publications that could be used• Important to bring ‘the people’ on board and raise awareness• “What’s in it for me”: free power, less costs, great compost• Need a composting programme along the lines of ‘create your own eden’• Definitely need to advertise the benefits• Look at the barriers – eg rats and turning compost heaps for organic waste.Responsibility• The council should work together with community groups to deliver educationA.4.5.3 Group 3 – workshop notesSpecial wastes• Could have special collection days – good model systems are available e.g. hazmobile• E-waste and tyres also waste streams that need managing.Transfer station development• Transfer stations are important – need to become better focal points for the community, and provideleverage for new opportunities i.e. beneficial re-use.Illegal landfilling• Need to get it out of the ‘too hard’ basket• Be more proactive.Cleanfills• Traceability is important.A.4.6ConclusionThe purpose of workshop was to hear the communities’ views on priorities for waste and recycling in theWaikato district, and on specific areas that will be fed in to the waste assessment process. The outcomes ofthis workshop will inform the waste assessment for the district, and this is a foundation document for thendeveloping a waste management and minimisation plan.Waikato District Council waste assessment 201167