Waste Management and Minimisation Plan

We are serious about waste . . . 

. . . and so is our community.

Hastings District Council and Napier City Council have worked together to come up with a new way to manage our rubbish.

The initial work saw all kinds of options for dealing with rubbish considered, ranging from hi-tech solutions used in Europe and the Americas, to a focus on removing as much as possible from the waste stream, to the status quo.

While the hi-tech options were attractive and were thoroughly investigated, the cost and our small population meant we would have to take nearly all of the country’s rubbish to make it financially viable. That was not the answer; but neither was the status quo.

Financially and practically, the feasible option is to work to educate residents on how to remove recyclable materials from the waste stream, so as little as possible goes to landfill. Achieving that could see the amount of material going to the landfill more than halved.

A full public consultation process carried out before the draft Joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMP) was developed. It certainly created a lot of interest, with more than 6165 submitters writing to Council with their views, and about 70 of those addressing the hearings panel.

After hearing and considering all submissions, the final Joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2018-2024 was prepared and adopted by both councils in 2018. The plan can be viewed on the links below:

Its focus is on minimising waste to keep as much out of the landfill as possible. The ultimate aim is zero waste.

Initiatives that will be introduced over the term of the plan include replacing the Council plastic rubbish bag with a small general rubbish wheelie bin, provided to every home in the collection area.

To promote recycling, each address will also be provided with recycling bins – with stickers showing how recycling should be sorted.
There is a heavy focus on education.

The Joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2018-2024 will be reviewed every six years, as required by the Waste Minimisation Act (WMA) 2008.

Background

In 2016/17 the Omarunui Landfill, jointly owned by Hastings District and Napier City Councils, received 84,000 tonnes of waste. Waste audits, carried out every three years, show that 49.1 per cent of the contents in Council rubbish bags and wheelie bins are recyclable and/or compostable. Of the rest, a significant amount is potentially divertible, including electronic waste, wood waste, plaster board and scrap metal.

The big picture

New Zealand's waste problem is an issue that isn't going to go away. Every year almost one tonne of solid waste for every New Zealander ends up being buried in our landfills. Below is a list showing how long it takes for the following common items to break down.

New Zealand's waste problem is an issue that isn't going to go away. Every year almost one tonne of solid waste for every New Zealander ends up being buried in our landfills. Below is a list showing how long it takes for the following common items to break down.

 For lots of information on how you can help send less to landfill see the related pages section at the top of this page.