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  • Council changes course for waste management in Buller

    Council has reconsidered the course for the future of rubbish collection in Buller’s largest refuse and recycling zone. Council has decided to move to a rubbish collection service paid through a targeted rate in Zone 1, rather than the previously proposed pay-as-you-throw model.

    The Buller District is divided into three zones for recycling and refuse. Zone 1 covers Westport, the areas from Westport to the Mōkihinui Bridge, Westport to Punakaiki, Westport to Reefton (including Blacks Point), and Reefton to Ikamatua.

    Starting from 1 July 2026, owners of properties eligible for rubbish collection will have the choice between a 80L, 120L

    Council has reconsidered the course for the future of rubbish collection in Buller’s largest refuse and recycling zone. Council has decided to move to a rubbish collection service paid through a targeted rate in Zone 1, rather than the previously proposed pay-as-you-throw model.

    The Buller District is divided into three zones for recycling and refuse. Zone 1 covers Westport, the areas from Westport to the Mōkihinui Bridge, Westport to Punakaiki, Westport to Reefton (including Blacks Point), and Reefton to Ikamatua.

    Starting from 1 July 2026, owners of properties eligible for rubbish collection will have the choice between a 80L, 120L or a 240L wheelie bin, or they can opt to drop off their rubbish at the transfer stations and pay the per tonne charge. Alternatively, they can arrange a private collection service with a commercial operator.

    If people select a regular collection, the targeted rate will vary according to the bin size chosen and will be charged as part of the property's rates bill. If a property owner opts out, the property will only be charged the targeted rate for the recycling collection.

    In September 2024, council went to the open market seeking proposals from waste management companies interested in providing comprehensive waste management for the next ten years, starting from 1 July 2025. Three companies tendered for the contract.

    Group Manager Infrastructure Services Anthony Blom explains: “When we received the tender responses and cost estimates, the high risks and cost increase associated with the pay-as-you-throw model and other aspects of the contract became clear.”

    “With the new approach to fund the waste collection through a targeted rate, we can offer a reliable, cost-effective, compliant waste collection that reduces the financial risk for council and ratepayers and offers a mechanism to select the amount of rubbish to be collected.”

    One of the other key changes to the scope of service is that the operation of the Karamea and Maruia landfills will be managed by separate contract in order to minimise cost increases for these communities.

    Also, different to the original proposal, the contractor will operate the transfer stations and retain revenues from charges, including revenues from the sale of recyclables. The contractor will set gate fees and will cover all operational costs. This is the current operational model for the Westport and Reefton Transfer Station.

    With the direction set, council will draft a new scope of service and go out for a revised procurement process to the current tenderers to be finalised in late 2025. Once the procurement process is completed, council will confirm the preferred supplier to manage waste collection in Zone 1.

    Mr Blom emphasises: “We are dedicated to serving people living in each of the refuse and recycling zones with the best waste management services possible.”

    The new waste management system will come into effect on 1 July 2026.

    Disclaimer
    The information in this media release was correct at the time of publication. Changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the information.

  • Council extends Buller’s waste management contract by one year

    Council has re-extended the waste management contract with Smart Environmental for one year, until 30 June 2026.

    Smart Environmental Ltd (SEL) has delivered rubbish and recycling management in Buller’s waste management Zone one since 2014, with the current contract due to end on 30 June 2025.

    The Buller District is divided into three zones for recycling and refuse. Zone one covers Westport, the areas from Westport to the Mōkihinui Bridge, Westport to Punakaiki, Westport to Reefton (including Blacks Point), and Reefton to Ikamatua.

    In September 2024, council went to the open market seeking proposals from waste management companies interested in

    Council has re-extended the waste management contract with Smart Environmental for one year, until 30 June 2026.

    Smart Environmental Ltd (SEL) has delivered rubbish and recycling management in Buller’s waste management Zone one since 2014, with the current contract due to end on 30 June 2025.

    The Buller District is divided into three zones for recycling and refuse. Zone one covers Westport, the areas from Westport to the Mōkihinui Bridge, Westport to Punakaiki, Westport to Reefton (including Blacks Point), and Reefton to Ikamatua.

    In September 2024, council went to the open market seeking proposals from waste management companies interested in providing waste management for the next ten years, starting from 1 July 2025.

    Group Manager Infrastructure Services Anthony Blom emphasises council's commitment to good strategic planning and risk mitigation, stating: “Three proposals from tenderers were received and evaluated.

    Following the evaluation, further operational risks were identified, resulting in council deciding to review the scope of services. This decision was due to our commitment to establishing a sound base for our waste management in the coming 10 years. Hence, we opted to review the scope of services, and address the risks identified to ensure the best value for our community.”

    Council has carried out extensive community engagement, involving two rounds of consultation between August 2023 and May 2024 before going out to market.

    Mr Blom explains: “We will now review the contract, and once drafted, complete the tender process. Due to the timeline required to work through this, the current waste management services contract requires a further 12-month extension from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.”

    Therefore, residents in Zone one will continue to use the 60-litre pre-paid rubbish bags which are collected weekly, until 30 June 2026. No wheelie bins will be issued until the new scope of services is agreed on.

    The new waste management contract will include managing waste and recycling services and facilities in Zone one, including rubbish and recycling kerbside collection, Westport and Reefton Transfer Stations operations, and emptying of public litter bins in urban areas.

    Mr Blom outlines: “Tenderers were notified that council proposes to modify the scope of services and that this will be run through a revised contract and tender process.”

    All three of the companies tendering confirmed that they would be open to receiving a revised scope of service and tendering again.

    Council expects the procurement process to be finalised in late 2025, after which it will confirm the preferred supplier.

    Disclaimer
    The information in this media release was correct at the time of publication. Changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the information.

  • Buller District Council makes a call on Zone One rubbish collection

    At yesterday's council meeting, Buller District Council decided how rubbish will be collected and paid for in Zone One from 1 July 2025 onwards.

    Councillors signed off on a fortnightly rubbish wheelie bin collection in Zone One, funded through a Pay as You Thow model. This was one of four options the community could provide feedback on during the recently held Zone One rubbish collection consultation.

    This decision marks the end of extensive community engagement, which involved two rounds of consultation between August 2023 and May 2024. During the most recent consultation, 57% of the 150 submitters indicated their preference

    At yesterday's council meeting, Buller District Council decided how rubbish will be collected and paid for in Zone One from 1 July 2025 onwards.

    Councillors signed off on a fortnightly rubbish wheelie bin collection in Zone One, funded through a Pay as You Thow model. This was one of four options the community could provide feedback on during the recently held Zone One rubbish collection consultation.

    This decision marks the end of extensive community engagement, which involved two rounds of consultation between August 2023 and May 2024. During the most recent consultation, 57% of the 150 submitters indicated their preference to continue with a Pay as You Throw approach to funding the rubbish collection service.

    With the direction set, from 1 July 2025, all ratepayers living in Zone One – except those on roads where the service is not provided – will be supplied with a 120-litre wheelie bin. The collection service will be fortnightly and there will be a charge made if a bin is picked up. The exact method of payment (tags, tokens or RFiD) will be worked out with the contractor through the tender and will be well publicised before the service goes live next year.

    Manager Infrastructure Delivery Eric de Boer says: “It has been a long process, and council has engaged with the community along each part of the journey. Going through two stages of community consultation enabled us to refine our approach and really listen to what is important to the community while keeping an eye on the big picture, our obligations and trends in the waste management sector.

    What we have arrived at is a model that will deliver waste management across our largest refuse and recycling zone.”

    Council staff will now prepare a procurement and open tender process to obtain cost proposals from waste management companies New Zealand-wide. From the pool of tendering companies, a preferred provider will be chosen to collect the rubbish in Zone One from 1 July 2025 onwards.

    Staff expect to go out with the open tender in August 2024. Once market tested prices have been obtained, these will be reported back to council for final approval before the contract can be awarded towards the end of the year.

    The open tender will also include the recycling collection in Zone One and operating the Westport and Reefton Transfer Stations.

    Mr de Boer says: “We will keep the community up to date during the process. Some stages of the tender process will require time, and we might not have a lot to share at least initially. There are parts of the tender process that are commercially sensitive and require us to be selective with what we can publicise.”

    Residents can keep up to date through council’s website, Facebook page, or local media.