NEWS RELEASE
15 February 2006

Northern Landfill closes for good tomorrow

From tomorrow (Thursday 16 February) the Council’s Northern Landfill, north of Johnsonville, will no longer accept general waste as preparations are completed for final closure.

The only material that will continue to be accepted for dumping will be clay and soil that has been inspected by landfill staff. This will be used to cover the landfill and will be accepted only until 30 June – earlier if enough cover material is delivered before then. Anyone wanting to dispose of clay and soil can call the Southern Landfill on 383 4400 to arrange for an inspection.

The recycling drop-off facility will operate at the Northern Landfill until 1 March. It will then be removed and no further recycling accepted. Northern suburbs residents can still put recycling out for kerbside collection on their rubbish collection day, or deliver larger volumes to the drop-off point at the Spicer Landfill in Porirua. There is no limit on roadside recycling in Wellington city so long as it is properly secured.

The landfill, 2kms north of Johnsonville off State Highway 1, has been operating since 1994. The 4.5ha site was leased by the Council from Lincolnshire Farms Ltd and will now revert to its owners.

“The three fulltime Council staff at the landfill will be found other work within the Council once the tidying up work associated with the closure is complete,” says City Council Director of Infrastructure Stavros Michael.

With the end of dumping, the Council will compact and cover the last of the waste material and plant grass seed.

The closure leaves the Southern Landfill – behind Happy Valley Road in Wellington – as the only remaining landfill in the city. The Council’s aim is to make the Southern Landfill last as long as possible.

The Southern Landfill has between 100 and 150 years worth of capacity – longer if the Council can reduce the amount of waste being dumped. People can also dispose of rubbish at the Spicer Landfill in Porirua.

New Zealand's landfills are filling fast, but much of the rubbish people take to landfills can be recycled or composted. Landfills are for rubbish that can’t be disposed of by recycling and kerbside collections.

The City Council recently approved a draft Environmental Strategy reaffirming its long-term goal to reduce waste.

ENDS

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