Marlborough is taking steps towards a cleaner, more sustainable future with the introduction of Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2025 from 1 September 2025.

The new bylaw, approved by full Council today, replaces the Waste Bylaw 2017 which had been superseded by legislative changes and the region’s new kerbside collection service, Council’s Solid Waste Manager Mark Lucas said.

“This is another important step towards diverting as many recyclable and reusable products as possible from the landfill,” Mr Lucas said.

“Without a bylaw Council has no powers to regulate waste in our region. This bylaw covers everything to do with waste management and minimisation and puts a greater emphasis on Council to be more sustainable and to ensure waste minimisation plans are in place. It is important we lead the way.

“The bylaw also gives Council better tools to deal with litter and nuisance relating to waste and has a greater emphasis on the health and safety of the public and those who operate our waste facilities,” he said.

As part of the bylaw, remote transfer stations are now identified as waste facilities. “This increases Council’s ability to deal with non-compliance at these transfer stations and clarifies what cannot be left there such as hazardous waste, e-waste and whiteware. These items should be taken to the transfer stations in Blenheim, Havelock, Picton, Seddon, Rai Valley and Wairau Valley.”

During the special consultative process held in March and April this year, 23 submissions were received with the majority supporting the new bylaw.

“Through the consultation process, feedback was sought on new requirements within the bylaw for waste management plans from industry including the building of multi-unit residential dwellings and all commercial demolition and construction activities,” Mr Lucas said.

“Council has set the trigger value for a waste management plan at construction developments over $1M after reviewing the submissions and current building consent numbers. Based on the these, it would mean 27 builds out of 1082 would require a plan.”

This part of the bylaw will come into effect later, on 1 July 2026, and Council staff will work closely with the commercial demolition and construction sector to provide waste minimisation plans.

Feedback was also sought on large events as under the previous bylaw all events in Marlborough required a waste minimisation plan. The new bylaw has set the trigger for this at 300 people, which would affect around 40 events annually. This is designed to capture major events, not smaller work or family celebrations, and will take effect from 1 January next year, Mr Lucas said.

Licensing requirements for waste operators will also be introduced to better monitor the effectiveness of the new bylaw.

A summary document about the new bylaw will be made available prior to it becoming effective on 1 September.

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