Project Reclaim gets ETS waiver, scoops Āpōpō Asset Management Award

Published on 20 May 2025

Waitaki District Council has received confirmation from the NZ Government that the $1.4 million Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) cost of Project Reclaim has been waived.

To gain this waiver, the Minister for Environment had to take the issue to full Cabinet and approval for an Order In Council to exempt Waitaki District Council from the Emissions Trading Scheme for Project Reclaim. This was signed by Dame Cindy Kiro, the Governor-General, last week.

Roger Cook, Director of Natural & Built Environment says: “Council’s position has always been that the remediation of these historic waste sites should not be subject to the Waste Levy or Emissions Trading Strategy, as they have a far larger positive environmental effect than the law allows for. We have convinced the Ministry for Environment on both counts, and as a result have saved the ratepayer a total of $5.3 million.”

Project Reclaim lead Steve Clarke says: “The ETS exemption for Project Reclaim was vital to ensure its viability, supporting environmental restoration, economic sustainability, and community wellbeing within Waitaki District Council's responsibilities.”

The exemption brings the current cost of Project Reclaim to around $13 million dollars.

Project Reclaim also picked up an Āpōpō Asset Management Award last week. The Sustainability Award for Excellence in Collaboration was shared among the project partners; Waitaki District Council, Morrison Low, Waste Management NZ, Fulton-Hoga, Tonkin + Taylor and GHC Consulting.

This recognises the important work of removing 67,465.49 tonnes of waste from sea-side sites and safely placing it 8km inland at a specially designed landfill cell.