Waste – move towards zero waste

Waste management and reduction is crucial to our ability to live sustainably. Waste can be bad for the environment, bad for our health and bad for our economy, and New Zealand’s waste problem is large and growing. In 2007, 135,000 tonnes of waste was disposed of at Hutt Valley landfills.

What is Council doing already?

• Waste reduction programmes for businesses and schools and regular Community awareness campaigns
• Support for the Earthlink programme, which collects and sells useable material from the landfill
• Free citywide kerbside recycling service, along with seven recycling stations
• Annual household hazardous waste collection where hazardous substances and items are collected free of charge
• Capturing a proportion of landfill gas at Silverstream landfill for electricity production
• Silverstream landfill undertakes best practice environmental management, including leachate capture and monitoring of groundwater quality

Waste Objectives and Actions

WO1 Organic waste is reused

• W1 Investigate and consider options for composting green waste separated at Silverstream landfill
• W2 Investigate and consider options for diverting commercial kitchen waste from landfills

WO2 Reuse opportunities are maximised

• W3 Investigate and consider options for reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste, such as unpainted and untreated timber, bricks, and scrap metal

WO3 Waste management at public events and in public places

• W4 Develop a policy on recycling at public events at Council facilities (parks, reserves, and roads)
• W5 Investigate and consider options for public place recycling, including in parks and reserves

WO4 Improve waste awareness

• W6 Improve marketing and communication of waste performance and targets as part of establishing an environmental sustainability brand for Council
• W7 Work with large producers of waste to improve their efficiency
• W8 Work with local schools to ensure that all schools in Hutt City have recycling facilities
• W9 Work with the Hutt Valley District Health Board to ensure that the hospital works towards minimising waste.