Household waste less trouble than commercial waste: report

The reports says Auckland's waste-management focus should shift to non-domestic rubbish. Photo / Cherie Howie

A leaked review of Auckland Council's waste strategy has questioned the goal of eliminating all household waste going to landfill by 2040 when business makes up 86 per cent of waste.

A "confidential draft" of the review, obtained by the Herald, says the focus should shift to non-domestic waste, given that segment's size and expected growth.

Domestic waste to land is only 0.2 million tonnes out of an estimated 1.6m tonnes to landfill each year.

There is a need to clarify exactly what zero waste to landfill means

Domestic Waste Services review

"Based on current waste patterns and the diversion rates achieved internationally, non-domestic waste going to landfill could potentially be reduced by up to 60 per cent or nearly one million tonnes per year by 2027," the review said.

The waste review is one of four "value for money" reviews commissioned by Auckland Council as mayor Phil Goff strives to find savings and efficiencies in the council's budget -one of his key election campaign pledges.

It found the Waste Solutions group at council is well organised and has delivered value for domestic waste services, but questioned whether council is delivering the environmental benefits which justify the $150 million annual costs to ratepayers.

According to the review, the council seeks "to reduce waste to landfill as an end in itself, without quantifying the environmental, health and cultural benefits to see if these justify the cost and showing the initiatives provide the biggest environmental, health and cultural bang for buck".

In a finding which goes to the heart of the council's waste minimisation goal, the review said "there is a need to clarify exactly what zero waste to landfill means".

The findings of the review will be a concern for the council as it is pushing ahead with a plan which would see all households in Auckland provided with three bins - for general waste, for recycling, and for food waste. The waste bin will be collected on a user-pays basis while the recycling and food bins will be paid for through rates.

The review has also recommended:

More rigorous economic cost-benefit analysis and research to improve value for money.

Whether the council should advocate for a higher landfill levy, which would impose higher costs on households and business.

Test the value of owning and operating transfer, recycling, and resource recovery stations, alongside private providers.

Council should take greater advantage of the Ministry for the Environment's Waste Management Fund (WMF), particularly to help fund resource recovery stations.

One chief executive of a large Auckland private waste company, who did not want to be named, said the review sends a signal to council to commission proper economic and environmental analysis.

"If the council is going to spend $150m on waste minimisation, will that deliver better environmental outcomes than spending more to stop sewage from polluting our harbours and beaches?

"We support and promote recycling, but there needs to be a market for recycled materials."

Councillor Penny Hulse, who oversees waste issues, said she could not comment yet on the report as it was still a confidential draft.