Wastewatch patrols make big changes on the waterfront

Wastewatch is the name of a new initiative that aims to make Wellington’s award-winning waterfront an even better place to be while, at the same time, increasing the recycling of rubbish, lengthening the life of our landfills and saving money.

The new system is based on regular collections of waste from the waterfront’s bars, restaurants and businesses by a single ‘patrol’ in golf cart-based utility vehicles. The patrols stop at all participating businesses – thus reducing the overall number of vehicles moving about on the waterfront.

And Wastewatch will also reduce the need for businesses to take up the use of busy waterfront public space for the storage of waste.

According to Ian Pike, Manager of Wellington City Council’s City Shaper unit (formerly Wellington Waterfront), a number of businesses on the waterfront have signed up for the Wastewatch service. “It’s a great way to not only make Wellington’s popular ‘front lawn’ an even more attractive destination, but also to encourage far more recycling. It’s our contribution to the reduction of Wellington’s environmental footprint.”

The patrol carts, run by the waterfront’s cleaning contractor, ISS, are making daily calls to collect plastics and cans, general waste, cardboard and glass. They are supported by a truck from the city’s Kai to Compost programme – which is removing food waste.

Mr Pike says the Wastewatch initiative has been running for a couple of months to bed the system in. “We’ve got about two-thirds of the businesses signed up and we’re aiming for more.”

Wastewatch aims to reduce costs for participating businesses. Mr Pike says it is based on a “pay for what you throw” system that encourages customers to recycle. “The more material that’s shifted away from the landfill and instead recycled, the more money the participants will save.”

The waterfront generates around 18 tonnes of waste per month. The major part of this is food waste (around 10 tonnes). Another six tonnes per month of cardboard is being recycled and smaller quantities of plastic bottles and cans will be diverted from landfill. These quantities will increase as the programme rolls out.

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