Rotorua recycling bins launch in 2016. From left, Shania Smith, Teiringatahi Webster-Tarei, Ariana Ferguson and Niniurangi Hohepa. Photo / File
Rotorua recycling bins launch in 2016. From left, Shania Smith, Teiringatahi Webster-Tarei, Ariana Ferguson and Niniurangi Hohepa. Photo / File
Rotorua could introduce kerbside organic waste collection, a composting facility and upgrade the recycling centre to reduce waste in the district.
It could also pass on the cost of fly-tipping to offenders, and proposes to improve communication of waste and recycling rules with the public.
The Rotorua Lakes Council's Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee will consider recommending the changes, part of a proposed waste management and minimisation plan, to the council tomorrow.
Should the council approve it, it will likely be available for public feedback early next year.
The plan, a six-yearly legislative requirement, lays out the council's vision, goals and targets for waste minimisation and includes an action plan.
The document revealed monthly waste collection had risen by 271 tonnes since 2017 and said the rise was likely due to a growing population and a growing tourism and visitor industry in Rotorua.
In 2021, 212 kilograms of waste was collected per individual, but the plan stated this was consistent with national trends and comparable to similar councils' collections.
However, kerbside waste audits had also found organic materials, such as food and garden waste, made up more than 50 per cent of waste to landfill. Most of the organic waste was compostable.
Paper and plastics made up about 24 per cent of kerbside rubbish, but the council estimated about 82 per cent of the paper could be recycled. About 20 per cent of the plastics in the red rubbish wheelie bins could be recycled.
A Rotorua Smart Environmental waste truck. Photo / File
Kerbside recycling had also faced some issues, with collections decreasing by up to 10 per cent due to changes in the recycling industry and disruptions in recycling markets, and the changes had altered recycling behaviour.
"Many households now struggle to grasp what could or could not be recycled."
The plan said this resulted in a higher level of recycling contamination, which in the 2020/2021 financial year accounted for more than 23 per cent of recycling collection.
It said the increasing waste volume was not sustainable and new initiatives were needed to reduce waste.
Such new initiatives would include extending kerbside rubbish and recycling to all rural communities, a new kerbside organic waste collection service and a local commercial composting facility.
It would also include communicating with the public and businesses on waste minimisation and improving "waste behaviour", and improving waste data collection, with periodic reports.
The plan said targeted rates of $254.46 per household per year in 2021/2022 covered about 80 per cent of operational costs for household waste collection, disposal and recycling, while general rates and other revenue sources covered the remaining 20 per cent.
The council also received a share of Ministry for the Environment national waste levy funds, and it was this funding stream the council hoped to use for some of the new initiatives.
The "action plan" within the document stated the council would also review and update recycling instructions on kerbside service "for effective communication", with the implementation time frame set for 2022/2023.
Also set for the next financial year was a move to plan and implement "rewards for good recycling behaviour" and set up a waste minimisation grant to encourage waste minimisation efforts, as well as transfer the clean-up costs of littering and dumping to offenders where possible.
Another initiative was to plan enforcement actions for households that repeatedly transgressed recycling instructions, and consider litter bins for compostable waste.
In a report for tomorrow's meeting, council waste services and sustainability manager Prashant Praveen said the adoption of the plan would require public consultation.
Should the plan be recommended by the committee and approved by the council, it is expected the council will invite the public to provide feedback on it in early 2022, Praveen said.
* Tomorrow's Strategy, Policy and Finance meeting is available for the public to view via livestream on the council's website or its Youtube channel.
