Te Awamutu waste-to-energy plant 'a step in the wrong direction'

The Zero Waste network says the model of the Xtreme Zero Waste facility in Raglan was a great alternative to the incinerator proposed for Te Awamutu. Photo / Supplied

The waste-to-energy plant proposal for Te Awamutu has also sparked outrage among national community group collective Zero Waste Network which says the incineration proposal is a step in the wrong direction.

Zero Waste Network executive officer Dorte Wray says the focus should be on reducing waste and taking steps towards a circular economy - in which "incinerators" had "no place".

"Incineration, especially burning plastic, is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Each tonne of plastic burned results in the release of 1.43 tonnes of CO2, even after energy recovery," Wray says.

"This plant would be worse than a coal-fired power plant in terms of emissions. New Zealand's energy supply is already about 85 per cent renewable. An incinerator would take us in the wrong direction as it is essentially just a dirty fossil fuel plant."

Xtreme Zero waste is also accepting scrap metal. Photo / Supplied

In its resource consent application, Global Contracting Solutions claims that "air discharges are benign".

However, while Wray admits she wasn't an expert, she says it was commonly known that it didn't take high levels of emissions to be harmful to people and the ecosystem.

"The air discharges include dioxins, heavy metals ... which are associated with cancer and are - even at low levels - toxic."

The Zero Waste Network also says incinerators wouldn't solve the waste problem and instead create a market for waste.

Wray says: "You need to feed the beast ... [the incinerator] runs off waste, so you need waste to keep [it] going."

Instead of "incentivising" people to create more waste, the Zero Waste Network proposes more sustainable solutions like investing in a "reuse infrastructure" and behaviour-change programmes.

The Xtreme Zero Waste facility in Raglan has several dedicated yards, including ones for metal, wood, recycling and composting. Photo / Supplied

Wray says the overall focus needs to be on reducing the amount of material for disposal.

"The incentive should be to try to reduce as much waste going to landfill as possible ... Lots of stuff currently in landfill doesn't need to be [there]."

She says she is also a big fan of Raglan-based organisation Xtreme Zero Waste, which diverted up to 72 per cent of waste that would have gone to landfill.

"Xtreme Zero Waste are achieving such amazing things. They have a metal yard ... composting and a massive reuse shop. They also accept timber and e-waste.

"They have great engagement in their programmes and a good community connection," Wray says.