Zone one rubbish collection

Proposed changes to the household collection services for recycling and waste management zone one will be open for feedback from today - Monday, 7 August.

At the 31 July Council meeting, Buller District councillors voted to proceed with consultation on proposed changes to the household collection services for recycling and waste management zone one.

The changes involve switching from rubbish bags to bins and changing how residents pay for their rubbish collection. As this is a significant change, council needs to consult with the community under the Local Government Act 2002.

Ms Ruiz says: “A key driver for the proposed new waste management system is to improve how we manage waste in Buller. The current way is not sustainable with further increases of the waste levy signalled (from 1 July 2024), increasing transport costs and the direction waste management is taking in New Zealand.”

For the large majority of properties in zone one, the changes would mean:  

• A shift from using 60 litre rubbish bags to having a 120 litre wheelie bin provided by Council.   
• Mandatory rubbish and recycling collection.   
• Changing from weekly to fortnightly collection of rubbish.   
• Paying for rubbish and recycling collection through rates (rather than buying rubbish bags).  

Ms Ruiz says: “We appreciate there is a lot there for people to absorb and we made sure there is a good range of ways to access information on what is involved, and we will take on board the feedback that we receive over the coming weeks.”

What are the cost implications?

Zone one households that are currently receiving the fortnightly kerbside recycling collection service are charged via a targeted rate of $178 annually. 

Currently, rubbish bags, which can be purchased for $9.10 each, are collected weekly. For a household that uses one bag per week, this adds up to $473 per year. Once the recycling fee of $178 is added in, this totals more than $600 per year. For households that use one bag fortnightly ($236) for example, once the existing recycling fee ($178) is included, the cost is more than $400 per annum.

Under the proposed changes, households serviced by the kerbside rubbish and recycling service would face an estimated combined total cost of between $375 and $450* per annum via rates. *The final cost would be determined via the tender agreement to provide the service. 

Coordinator Waste Management Juliana Ruiz says: “Residents will be invited to let us know if they like the idea of the proposed changes and there will be space on the paper and online forms to discuss their thoughts on the various elements of the proposed new waste management system.”

Council has also resolved to workshop the Joint Committee of Council Terms of Reference in order to understand more about what is involved.

The Joint Committee is a crucial element in developing a single, regional waste management contract with the Grey and Westland District Councils. This is part of the planned wider changes to how waste services - kerbside collection, transfer stations, recycling centres and landfills – are managed in Buller, bringing the district more in line with the rest of the country and the other West Coast district councils.

The proposal is to collaborate in a new joint, solid waste contract servicing the whole West Coast.

Manager Infrastructure delivery Eric de Boer says: “This is an opportunity for Buller to enact future-focused, comprehensive change and establish a system that is sustained in the future. A joint approach with the other two district councils is key to reducing operational costs, maximising economies of scale, raising Council incomes from transfer stations and possible revenues from recyclables, and combatting illegal dumping.”

“However, ideally to create these benefits we need all the elements of the plan to be adopted – the coast-wide joint contract for the management of waste, the changes to how refuse and recycling is collected and paid for in zone one, mandatory kerbside collection of recycling and rubbish in zone one, as well as how the local landfills and recycling centres are managed.”

A collaborative approach to managing solid waste in the West Coast will be considered by council next week.

A staff report, to be tabled at Monday’s meeting (31 July), recommends changes to the Waste Management System in Buller from February 2025 onward. Some elements of the proposed changes will require consultation with the local community.

Key changes involve the three West Coast district councils, Westland, Grey and Buller, working on a joint collaborative solid waste contract that provides a consistent level of service. Ongoing governance of the tender agreement will be managed by a new Joint Committee made up of representatives of the three district councils and local iwi.

Coordinator Waste Management Juliana Ruiz says: “This covers the management of kerbside collection, transfer stations, recycling centres and landfills. Buller’s current solid waste contract expires in February 2024 and will be extended by a year to allow time to set up the new contract.”

In addition, Council is proposing changes to the household collection services for recycling and waste management zone one.

The changes involve switching from rubbish bags to bins and changing how residents pay for their rubbish collection. As this is a significant change, council needs to consult with the community under the Local Government Act 2002.

For the large majority of properties in zone one, this would mean:  

•   A shift from using 60 litre rubbish bags to having a 120 litre wheelie bin provided by Council.   
• Mandatory rubbish and recycling collection.   
• Changing from weekly to fortnightly collection of rubbish.   
• Paying for rubbish and recycling collection through rates (rather than buying rubbish bags).  

What are the cost implications for zone one? 

Zone one households that are currently receiving the fortnightly kerbside recycling collection service are charged via a targeted rate of $178 annually.  

Rubbish bags, which can be purchased for $9.10 each, are collected weekly. For a household that uses one bag per week, this adds up to $473 per year. For households that use one bag fortnightly, for example, this is $236.  

Under the proposed changes, households serviced by the kerbside rubbish and recycling service would face an estimated combined total cost of between $375 and $450* per annum via rates. *The final cost would be determined via the tender agreement to provide the service. 

Note, the operation of the Karamea and the Maruia Landfill recycling centres would be included in the new regional contract under the proposal, however, the level of services in both areas would remain as it is. It would be the day-to-day running of the landfill sites that changes to one common West Coast-wide contractor under the new system.

What could amalgamating West Coast waste management services look like?

The report to council states a single regional joint waste management services contract will bring economies of scale, value for money and a reduction in administration costs. Key elements include:

Ownership of assets - landfills and transfer stations - would remain with each council. 

Westport and Reefton Transfer Stations and Recycling Centres become Council businesses operated by a contractor on behalf of the Council, ensuring Council keeps the profit from recyclables and saleable items to offset the cost-of-service provision. The refuse and transfer stations are currently owned by council, but operated and managed privately under a lease arrangement. Their future management would become part of the new joint contract. 

The service provider of the new Regional Waste Management contract will be determined by a tender process.   

Ongoing governance of the tender agreement will be managed by a new Joint Committee made up of representatives of the three West Coast district councils and local iwi.  

“Overall, we see that the proposed new waste management system would offer a range of benefits including reducing operational costs, maximising economies of scale, raising Council incomes from transfer stations and possible revenues from recyclables, and combatting illegal dumping.

“The changes will align Buller District with other Councils on the West Coast and with most Councils across New Zealand,” says Ms Ruiz.

Upcoming consultation

If the proposal is accepted by Council on Monday, a consultation process will begin shortly afterwards.

Residents will be asked if they support the proposed changes to rubbish collection services in zone one. Community feedback opens on Monday 7 August and closes at 4.30pm on Monday 4 September 2023.  

Under the proposal, kerbside collection of recycling and rubbish is mandatory, for qualifying properties in zone one. Currently not all properties in zone one that are serviced by kerbside recycling are using the service. This would change under the new system.

“Mandatory participation will produce economies of scale, as there will be more users paying for the same provision. It will make the service viable into the future,” says Ms Ruiz.

“Ideally, we would like to see all the elements of the plan adopted – the coast-wide amalgamation of waste services and the changes to zone one’s service - but we will take on board the feedback we receive in the coming weeks. “

“We appreciate there is a lot there for people to absorb and we will make sure there is a good range of ways to access information on what is involved, once we get the go ahead from council to proceed.”