New Western Bay recycling collect to divert 1800 tonnes of rubbish from landfill

More than 1800 tonnes of rubbish will be diverted from Western Bay landfill once a kerbside recycling, glass and rubbish collection service starts next year. Photo / File

More than 1800 tonnes of rubbish will be diverted from Western Bay landfill once a kerbside recycling, glass and rubbish collection service starts next year.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council has awarded EnviroNZ, formerly EnviroWaste, an eight plus two-year contract to implement and manage the new kerbside collection services.

The service will benefit about 80 per cent of the district from next year.

In rural areas, there will be a fortnightly recycling and glass collection paid through rates and the weekly rubbish collection will be a pay-per-pick-up service.

In urban areas, council will collect on a fortnightly cycle recycling, glass and a weekly collection of biodegradable food scraps and a weekly collection of rubbish.

The cost per household will range from $140 to $150 through a targeted rate for urban households and a $90 to $100 targeted rate for rural households.

The final cost for each service will be communicated though the draft Long Term Plan in March 2021.

Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber said proper waste management had become of real concern for communities, councils and the nation and now was the right time to make a change from private contracting service to a council-contracted service.

On average, each household district-wide produces about 640kg of waste per year.

The council identified through a number of studies that 30 per cent of refuse being presented in plastic rubbish bags across the district was food waste that could be redirected from landfill.

The costs associated with the current plan. Photo / Supplied

"This is a major change, but we believe it will be better for everyone and the environment to make this change now," Webber said.

"We have no choice but to address the district's dumping of waste to landfill. The new service aims to increase the amount of material diverted from landfill by about 60 per cent a year."

The actual cost to households for sending refuse to landfill will depend on how often rubbish is put out.

The kerbside service is the result of Council consulting with the community as a Long Term Plan Amendment alongside the 2019/20 Annual Plan.