FAQs
saving costs through less waste transportation and disposal
reducing the amount of methane gas that is produced, therefore reducing greenhouse gas emissions
reducing the overall volume of waste going into landfills, extending the operational life of existing facilities
Why is food and green waste such a big problem?
New Zealand-wide, more than 300,000 tonnes of food waste are sent to landfills every year, rotting and producing methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. This is approximately 30 – 40% of the waste that ends up in landfills nationwide. A West Coast audit found that 26% of kerbside waste is food waste and 8.8% is green waste, consistent with findings from similar audits nationwide.
In the big picture, reducing food waste sent to landfills is a critical step if Aotearoa New Zealand is to meet its emissions reduction target of decreasing waste-caused methane gas by 40 per cent by 2035.
Reducing the amount of food waste in landfills will have multiple benefits, including:
How is food and green waste currently collected ?
Food scraps and wasted food are currently disposed of with general household rubbish. This rubbish is transported to landfills for disposal, creating emissions and added cost for ratepayers.
What is food waste?
Food waste includes fruits and vegetables and their skins, peelings and scraps (e.g., onion skins, potato peelings, avocado stones and corn cobs), grain and cereal products, meat and fish scraps including bones, cooked foods, leftover takeaways, processed foods, dairy products, and shellfish and their shells.
What is green waste?
Green waste includes garden waste like lawn clippings, weeds, leaves, flowers, and small branches.
Who is involved?
The three West Coast District Councils – Buller, Grey, and Westland, are working collaboratively with the Ministry for the Environment and Development West Coast to deliver a coastwide feasibility study.
Engaging with mana whenua (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio) will be undertaken to help establish the project’s objectives and priorities.
Why are Councils exploring this topic?
In March 2023, the previous Government announced that it would develop policies to help shift towards a circular economy that reduces waste and keeps materials in use for as long as possible.
A circular economy aims to create new employment and business opportunities, improve the ability to dispose of waste responsibly and reduce waste disposal costs for households and businesses.
As part of this, the previous Government announced a policy requiring district and city councils to collect food scraps (or food and garden waste) for households in urban areas with over 1,000 people by 2030.
This policy had not been drafted into regulations before the government changed in 2023. The development of a regulation that will bring this policy into force is now awaiting further decisions by the current Government.
Should the current Government pass the policy into regulation, it will apply to urban areas with more than 1,000 people, including Westport, Reefton, Greymouth, and Hokitika. Runanga and Carters Beach may also be included.
For more information, visit:
How is Council exploring the topic?
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The study will outline a preferred approach for food scraps and green waste kerbside collection, the ideal bin sizes, and the optimum collection frequency, and it will identify suitable regional organic waste processing options. Options for processing facilities need to consider regional particularities, the quantities generated, weather impacts and the potential uses for the end products created in these facilities.
The study will also examine how these facilities could be established, focusing on either one centralised facility or multiple facilities distributed across the West Coast. Lastly, it will cover potential markets for, and end users of, these products.
Dextera Ltd, a local company with expertise in environmental science and project management, will conduct the study. Whirika Ltd, a Dunedin-based company specialising in sustainability and waste management, will provide technical specialist support.
The study is expected to be completed by May 2025. Based on its outcome, all parties involved will decide on the next steps, which will likely include a business case.
How will the work be funded?
The regional feasibility is estimated to cost a total of $100,000. Te Pūtea Whakamauru Para – the Waste Minimisation Fund administered by the Ministry for the Environment will fund $75,000. Development West Coast will invest $10,000, and each district council will contribute $5,000.