Multi-bin scheme? $382.22/ household in 2012
The Tasman District Council has signalled that it wants to “initiate a conversation” with its ratepayers about kerbside waste collection, particularly about reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill.
Council’s Draft Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) includes a capital provision of $3.5million in 2012-13 to convert the existing kerbside collection system to a possible multi-bin system, but council wants to hear ratepayers’ views on the whole issue.
In a multi-bin system, households are provided with up to three wheelie bins, for recyclables, green waste and the other waste. The system is more expensive so, if it was introduced, the targeted rate for recycling would increase markedly. The inflation-adjusted figures in the LTCCP show an increase from $111.11 plus GST in 2011/12 to $382.22 plus GST in 2012/13.
The multi-bin system is used in Christchurch and Timaru. TDC utilities asset engineer David Stephenson said that in Timaru 67%of the former waste to landfill is being diverted because recylables and green waste previously being dumped are now being separated by the people putting out their bins. Mr Stephenson said that the multi-bin system was still just a proposal.
“Nothing’s set in stone. What we know is that we have to lift our game. By 2015 we’re required to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by 20% from the 2010 amount. That’s central government policy, so somehow we all need to do better. There’s quite a long lead-time but we have to make a start.”
Mr Stephenson explained that about 85% of the waste currently picked up in council’s white bags could likely be composted or recycled.
“At the moment our recycling efforts divert about 28%. That’s good, but it can be improved,” he said. “Over the next 12 to 18 months we need to be having a conversation with ratepayers. When we’ve heard what people have to say about it, we’ll draw some conclusions and then consult the people on those conclusions. We included the multiple bin idea in the draft LTCCP because we’re required to have a waste management and minimisation strategy and we have to take it seriously. That’s why we budgeted some reasonably serious dollars. How we go about it is up to the community.”
Submissions on the draft plan close on Monday 27 April.
Neil Wilson
