Don’t miss chance to have say on waste plan

Media release

16 January 2012

Don’t miss chance to have say on waste plan

Aucklanders who want their say on how waste is tackled in the region have a fortnight left to make a submission on the draft Auckland Council Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

While more than 700 submissions have already been received*, the council is keen to collect even more opinions before public consultation closes at 4pm on 31 January, including from the south where low numbers of submissions have come from to date.

Released on 17 November, the draft plan proposes a wide range of services and initiatives to reduce household, commercial and council waste, with key changes affecting households set to occur from 2015.

The full plan, a summary (available in various languages) and the submission form are available on the Auckland Council website, at local board offices, council service centres and libraries. A video providing a brief outline of the plan is also available on the council's website and Facebook page.

Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse said Aucklanders are already great recyclers, but as we still send about 800kg of waste per person each year into landfills change is needed to tackle this and make Auckland the world’s most liveable city.

"The first step is to get feedback on what’s proposed in the plan and gather any other great ideas from households, businesses and community groups to assist us in ensuring the plan is robust and on the right track,” she says. “While we’re impressed with the response to the plan so far, we’d encourage others to take the chance to have their say on the serious issue of tackling waste.”

Councillor Wayne Walker, who chairs the council’s Environment and Sustainability Forum, explains the plan will be finalised mid-year following consideration of all of the submissions and associated hearings in March.

“Once the plan is adopted we’ll be focusing on educating the community about relevant changes,” he says.

Councillor Walker notes that if the comprehensive suite of services proposed in the draft plan are adopted in 2015, by 2022 the region will have diverted over 500,000 tonnes from landfill.

“One of the key areas of opportunity is with food and green waste, about 97,000 tonnes of which is currently thrown away by households each year when it could be turned into valuable products like compost. The proposals to address this are something I’m particularly keen to get peoples’ opinions on.”

Ends

* Submissions received by local board area as at Friday 13 January
Local Board No. of submissions Percentage of total
Rodney Local Board 90 12.35%
Hibiscus and Bays Local Board 41 5.62%
Upper Harbour Local Board 13 1.78%
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board 33 4.53%
Kaipatiki Local Board 57 7.82%
Waitakere Ranges Local Board 54 7.41%
Henderson-Massey Local Board 36 4.94%
Whau Local Board 31 4.25%
Puketapapa Local Board 18 2.47%
Albert-Eden Local Board 57 7.82%
Waitemata Local Board 38 5.21%
Orakei Local Board 32 4.39%
Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board 23 3.16%
Howick Local Board 75 10.29%
Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board 9 1.23%
Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board 22 3.02%
Manurewa Local Board 16 2.19%
Papakura Local Board 15 2.06%
Franklin Local Board 25 3.43%
Waiheke Local Board 17 2.33%
Great Barrier Local Board 0 0.00%
Not Supplied 27 3.70%
Total submissions 729 100.00