Ashburton Council looks into green bins to cut down waste

The Team Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

Work is set to begin that will reduce 40% of what the Ashburton District sends to the landfill.

The Ashburton District Council has adopted its Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP), which will kick start the process of introducing organic waste bins.

A 2021 waste audit showed that about 40% of the district’s kerbside rubbish collection is food waste, which is transported to landfill at a significant cost.

In the plan’s consultation, which had 130 submissions –as many as the annual plan received, 63% of respondents supported the introduction of the green bin.

Infrastructure services group manager Neil McCann said there was a lot of feedback regarding the potential food and green waste options which the council will now look into.

“We will investigate options for the collection of green waste and food waste,” McCann said.

“We have received conflicting information regarding the mixing of food and green waste, so we will gather as much information from other councils and experts in the waste minimisation industry.

“We will aim to provide the information with options and associated costs to be able to consult with the community at a suitable stage, either next year or in the next long-term plan.”

The WMMP sets the priorities and strategic framework for managing waste in the district and provides the direction for the council in its planning.

One of the key actions is forming a working group with waste service providers to look into improving services by November.

McCann said the group will facilitate improved and targeted services in the district to various business sectors, including construction and demolition, farms and industries – services beyond what the council currently provides.