Landfill Decision Good News For Canterbury

Media Release, 23 March 2004

Landfill Decision Good News For Canterbury

Today’s decision by the Environment Court that confirms the granting of resource consents for a regional landfill at Kate Valley in North Canterbury after an appeal hearing has been welcomed by the company behind the project.

A panel of four independent Commissioners heard evidence in a comprehensive resource consent hearing process in late 2002 and early 2003, and granted consents in April 2003. A small number of the conditions attached to these consents were appealed by Transwaste Canterbury, and two other groups appealed the entire decision. The Environment Court heard evidence relating to the appeals in October and November 2003.

Transwaste Canterbury Ltd, the company behind the regional landfill project, is a joint venture between six Canterbury Councils and two national waste companies.

“We have just received the full decision of the Court this afternoon and we have yet to review in detail the conditions attached to the granting of the various consents,” says Transwaste Chairman, Denis O’Rourke.

“However, the fact that all of the consents sought have been granted sends a clear message that the Environment Court accepted that the Kate Valley site is suitable for a comprehensively engineered modern landfill.”

“The achievement of a modern high standard waste disposal facility in Canterbury will realise two of the goals set out in the recently published New Zealand Waste Strategy, also reflected in the Christchurch City Solid Waste Management Plan, to lower the risks of waste and reduce damage to the environment from waste disposal. Christchurch and Canterbury already has had huge success in reducing waste and this decision will allow progress in waste reduction to continue, with safe disposal of residual waste,” concluded Denis O’Rourke.

ENDS

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