Kāpiti council opens consultation on solid waste bylaw

Paraparaumu College waste station monitors at Waitangi Day last year.

Kāpiti Coast District Council is seeking submissions on proposed changes to the Solid Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2020 which is up for review.

The bylaw manages litter and supports waste minimisation in the district.

The proposed bylaw updates rules around waste management and minimisation to ensure they are relevant, future-proof and regionally consistent.

Districtwide councillor and sustainable waste management portfolio holder Jackie Elliott said the proposed bylaw will help the district to reduce what ends up in landfill and to support waste minimisation.

"In 2017 we adopted the Wellington Regional Waste Management and Minimisation Plan [WMMP] which provides Kāpiti with a regionally consistent plan on waste minimisation for the benefit of our communities, our local economy, and the environment.

"The WMMP sets out a vision for Kāpiti and the Wellington region to reduce the total quantity of waste sent to landfills by a third by 2026.

"Proposed changes to the bylaw will make the rules to support that vision.

"We've opened public consultation on the proposed changes so we encourage Kāpiti communities to have their say by September 11."

Proposed changes:

The main changes in the proposed Solid Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2020 will help Kāpiti achieve its waste reduction target by enabling the council to take action on issues relating to:
• Waste from multi-unit dwellings
• Unaddressed mail
• Waste from large public events
• Introduction of waste management plans for buildings/developments over the coming years.

What this proposed bylaw doesn't change:
• The way kerbside collection services are provided in Kāpiti
• Establishment of new landfills or other waste management facilities
• Amendments to the Trade Waste Bylaw 2019.

How to have your say:
Public consultation begins on Friday, August 7 and is open until 5pm, Friday, September 11. There are several ways that you can have your say:
• Read the consultation documents and complete the online submission form at www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/solid-waste-bylaw
• Fill in a hard copy of the submission form at one of our service centres or district libraries
• Download the form from our website and email it to waste@kapiticoast.govt.nz
• Oral submissions will be heard on Thursday, October 29.

If you wish to be heard, please indicate this on your submission form and you will be contacted prior to October 29.
There will be a drop-in session for stakeholders in both the Event Management and Building/Construction sector during the consultation period – further information on those will be added to the webpage www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/solid-waste-bylaw.
Following public consultation, council will consider adoption of the new Solid Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2020 on November 26, 2020.