Palmerston landfill to close on October 31
Published on 02 October 2023
Palmerston’s landfill is to close permanently to the public and commercial operators at the end of October.
From November a contractor will be preparing a new landfill cell, as the site prepares to receive the material from Beach Road and Hampden sites, as part of Project Reclaim.
The landfill was due to close in 2027, but the scale and nature of the cell construction now require this date to be brought forward.
Council’s Waste Team have considered alternative options for a Council waste transfer facility in Palmerston, but these were not found to be cost effective, given the planned closing date for the landfill, that the facility is underutilised, and the public pay model for drop-off.
Palmerston Landfill currently opens to the public for only 3 hours on a Tuesday and Sunday. Typical volumes received are 50-60 black bags delivered through around 30 visits per month (or 1.5 bags on average per person per visit), plus three semi-regular commercial users.
Current operating costs of the Palmerston Landfill as a public drop-off facility are circa $5000 per month ($60,000 per year), with only around $1000 per month recovered in user fees. Any replacement facility is likely to cost more.
Customers who have been using the Palmerston landfill are advised to make alternative arrangements through convenient, cost-effective commercial providers, or by using the nearest equivalent facility in Hampden. Waihemo Wastebusters in Palmerston offer recycling facilities and advice on what can and can’t be recycled.
Signage will be erected at the site this week, and flyers will be given to those using the landfill in October.
The Waitaki District Waste Management and Minimisation Plan is currently being reviewed prior to public consultation and that will help inform how we manage waste across the district in the future.
Council will continue to monitor fly-tipping in the area, and encourages the community to report dumped rubbish using the Snap, Send, Solve app or by contacting Waitaki District Council. Please avoid challenging fly-tippers, and put your own safety first.
ENDS