A better future for Waitaki’s waste – let’s talk trash!
Published on 23 January 2024
Public consultation on the draft Waste Minimisation and Management Plan 2024 - 30 (WMMP) for the Waitaki District begins next Monday 29 January.
The WMMP is the guiding document for how the district manages its waste and recycling activity, and is reviewed every six years to reflect changes in environmental standards, regulation and the needs of the district.
The WMMP considers how the Waitaki community creates and deals with the refuse and recycling to better protect our environment and reduce the impact of waste.
The 2023 national waste strategy, Te rautaki para, is a vision for a low-emissions and low-waste New Zealand. It proposes changes to how Councils collect waste to achieve this. While the new Government has yet to review Te rautaki para, and agree to continue with its proposals, Waitaki District Council is using the strategy as inspiration to plan for better waste solutions.
The draft WMMP focuses on four areas to meet future demands for waste solutions; more leadership and collaboration in communities, better engagement and education around waste and recycling, potential infrastructure and waste collection requirements, and how to monitor and regulate waste minimisation and management services.
Lucianne White, Waitaki District Council’s Waste Minimisation Officer, says: “Dealing with our trash, or making sure we create as little as possible, is something we all need to get behind: as individuals, households, schools, businesses, Councils and government. It’s time to make sure that we don’t leave a mess for future generations to clean up.”
Mayor Gary Kircher says: “Once upon a time we dumped our rubbish right next to the coast. Now, we’re literally paying the price, with millions of ratepayers’ dollars needed to repair the situation. The sea is eating into the old Hampden Landfill and two places on Beach Road where there is danger of the dumped rubbish getting washed into the ocean. We’ve got to look to the future and do what we can to minimise and manage our waste responsibly.”
The consultation document, feedback form, and the draft Waste Minimisation and Management Plan 2024 – 30 can be found on Council’s website with print copies available at Council offices and libraries.
There will also be drop-in sessions for people to come along and talk with Elected members and the Solid Waste Team. These will be advertised on the Waste Free Waitaki and Waitaki District Council Facebook pages.
ENDS