Reduce waste to landfill - that’s the vison from Tauranga City Council, as they call for public feedback on proposed changes to the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP).

A 2021 assessment showed the rollout of the kerbside service has reduced the total amount of waste being sent to landfill, but there’s still a lot of work to do as Tauranga produces more waste per capita than the national average.

Tauranga has seen rapid growth since the WMMP was last updated in 2016, and now it’s time to make sure we’re still on track.

Proposed changes to the WMMP reflect the nine key waste issues facing Tauranga, like the high volume of construction and demolition material going to landfill, and access to waste management services for the growing number of people living in multi-unit dwellings.

Waste management and minimisation has changed dramatically since 2016, so alongside the WMMP Council is also reviewing the Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw to ensure both are in alignment.

Practically, this means introducing changes to meet our targets - like a requirement for building consents to have an accompanied construction and demolition site waste management plan. For multi-unit developments to have waste management plans and minimum requirements for waste bin storage areas, and updating the rules for managing waste at events and large public gatherings.

Sam Fellows, Council’s Sustainability and Waste Manager says Waste management is a complex and critical service that comes with high community expectations.

“Successful delivery of the service requires everyone, including the council, waste operators, businesses, and the general public - whether residents or visitors, to play their part.”

“The new draft plan and bylaw really complement each other, working together to give us the tools to manage our city’s commercial and household waste to 2028.”

“We will strive to maintain and improve on the success we have seen with our new kerbside service, and accompanying that will be a new focus on reducing construction and demolition waste.”

To find out more about the draft plan and bylaw, and to provide feedback, please visit the webpages below. Consultation closes at 5pm on Thursday 7 July.

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