3 November 2000

AUCKLAND CITY WASTE MANAGEMENT TRIAL BRINGS GREAT INITIAL RESULTS

A two-month trial of Auckland City’s new integrated waste management system is bringing promising results.

About 320 isthmus dwellings are involved in a trial of the new system, which requires them to use new 120-litre mobile garbage bins for household waste and enables them to use their old green bins for use with commercial garden waste collectors.

The new isthmus-wide system, due for implementation from July next year, is designed to significantly reduce Auckland’s waste stream.

City Works committee chairman Cr Doug Astley says the trial is going well as it enters its third week.

“We are receiving good feedback from the participants and very few problems have been reported,” he said. “People are beginning to adjust well to the smaller bins which are proving to be big enough for the household rubbish they have left after recycling and separating out garden rubbish.

“For so early in the trial, it’s an optimistic indication that the new integrated system can be extended successfully to all households across the isthmus.”

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Householders in the trial have been issued with one 120-litre mobile garbage bin with a red lid for refuse and up to three recycling bins. They are continuing to use the weekly paper collection and are able to use their old 240-litre bins with the green lids for use in conjunction with commercial garden waste collectors.

They have been issued two coupons through an innovative coupon system which enables them to buy garden waste collection services. Next year’s fully integrated system will provide about six coupons for all households for the purchase of waste minimisation services and products including garden waste collections, buying home composting bins or buying compost.

Cr Astley says a waste audit of 125 households in the trial was carried out before the test-run began. Waste was sorted into five categories: paper and cardboard, recyclable containers, garden waste, inorganic matter (material such as clothes and household items which can be disposed of through other means) and residual household rubbish.

“In every case, it was possible to fit the residual rubbish into the new 120-litre mobile garbage bin, even in cases where it had been overflowing from a 240-litre bin,” he said. “The pre-trial results were very encouraging and this is extending through to the current trial. Results will be fully evaluated once it is complete.

“The indications are that the new system offers Auckland City a real chance to reduce its waste stream in a way that will dramatically reduce the need for landfill space and preserve green areas for future generations to enjoy. We can all feel positive about this opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the quality of our environment.”

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On completion of the trial, further analysis of the results will be carried out and people taking part will be offered the chance to keep using the trial rubbish collection methods until the fully integrated waste management system is introduced next July.

“They have the option of reverting to the 240-litre bins for refuse until the new system starts,” Cr Astley said. “But we hope they will have started to change their refuse and recycling behaviour and that their increased awareness will encourage them to keep going with the smaller bins.”

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For further information:
Please contact City Works Chair Cr Doug Astley
Telephone: 620 4923 or 025 2970 494

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