The issue
Every year, New Zealanders send around 3.2 million tonnes of waste to landfill that is over a tonne of rubbish per household. The majority of this waste is not reprocessed or recycled, and doesn’t break down over time.
Disposing of waste at landfills is a sign that we’re not using our resources efficiently, and are contributing directly to pollution.
To improve the environmental future of New Zealand, we need to start taking responsibility for the waste we produce by finding more effective and efficient ways to reduce, reuse, recycle or reprocess it.
In Nelson and Tasman we dump over 67,000 tonnes of waste into our two landfills per year. More waste is also dumped into cleanfills around the district (generally inert construction and demolition waste) but there aren't any central records kept.
The Waste Minimisation Act (2008) has imposed a levy of $10 per tonne on all landfill waste with the intention to start putting financial incentives in place to encourage the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste. 50% of this levy (minus admin costs) goes into a contestable fund (Waste Minimisation Fund) for any organisation (including Local Authorities) that has a project in mind to minimise waste, to apply for. This is done through the Ministry for the Environment's website. Local Authorities get the other 50% of the levy on a per population basis to also spend on waste minimisation initiatives.
What's happening locally?
Nelson City and Tasman District Council's fund the Waste Education Services (WES) contract through the Nelson Environment Centre. This contract works with schools, businesses and the community to promote and support waste reduction, reuse and recycling. If you would like support to reduce your waste or you have a particular issue with waste then please check out the WES website for more information, resources and contacts. There are many other services that also help address waste and these can be found under the schools and businesses pages of this website. If you need a service to collect anything from paper to dental amalgam then check out our document Waste Service Providers, available through the WES website.
There are many local options for reusing your stuff, rather than throwing it away - through the Nelson Recycle Centre, op shops, second hand shops etc. They are also great places to find that little something that you need - something that has been loved before that needs a new home. Also think about getting things fixed rather than throwing it away and getting a new one.
NCC and TDC are currently working on a joint Waste Management and Minimisation Plan. This will replace their individual Waste Management Plans and help move the region towards a cohesive waste management policy.
...and nationally?
The first round of the Waste Minimisation Fund has closed and those projects that have been approved for funding will be announced in August 2010. The next round of yearly funding is expected to open in January 2011.
There are many community organisations that form the background of their communities response to waste. Many of them, including Nelson Environment Centre (we also run the Nelson Recycle Centre), are members of CRN (Community Recycling Network). CRN is an organisation representing community enterprises focused on Zero Waste with members from Kaitaia to Bluff. Check out the sites of their members through their website.
The Ministry for the Environment has a lot of information about waste and ideas on how to reduce it.
Zero Waste NZ - The Zero Waste NZ trust has a great website with news and resources to help move us all towards zero waste
WasteMINZ - is an organisation that acts as a resource for championing sustainable business and waste minimisation and active in the participation in the development of future environmental and economic solutions and policy for waste minimisation
RCN - want to recycle your business' computers - check these guys out.
