By RNZ
Aucklanders' food scraps will be collected kerbside from 2021 and turned into biogas.
A 20-year partnership signed this afternoon between Auckland Council and Ecogas aims to reduce the 100,000 tonnes of food scraps sent to the landfill each year. The move is part of the council's goal of achieving a "zero waste" city by 2040.
"It's a big step forward for New Zealand," said Ecogas director Andrew Wood.
Starting in October 2021, Ecogas will process food scraps - currently making up around half the weight of Auckland's average rubbish bin - collected from the city's households and turn it into biogas and liquid bio-fertiliser.