Steve Morris is ferreting through Tauranga's rubbish issues and something stinks.
'I don't think we have a choice, we have to act, we have to do something.”
'I mean it's untenable we are one of the dirtiest, if not the dirtiest city, in the country diverting waste.”
The chair of Tauranga City Council's environment committee is charged with making recommendations on the future direction of the city's rubbish collection, sorting the city's rubbish problems.
'We are the country's fifth biggest city, but we still have a small town rubbish collection system. We are in an over-arching place where we cannot continue as we are.”
Ratepayers get a whiff of the problem every rubbish collection day. Four or five different companies drive up their street collecting bags and bins – a massive and expensive duplication of manpower, machinery and vehicles.
'And you probably won't believe this,” says Steve.
'Every day, Monday to Saturday, 13 truck and trailers loaded with our rubbish go over the Kaimai Ranges to a landfill. Seventy eight trucks a week.
'And from an NZTA point of view that's 156 vehicles because they count trailers as vehicles.”
And the sad indictment is 55 of those trucks needn't go. Because 69.3 percent of the waste composition in our wheelie bins and rubbish bags could be recycled or composted – diverted from the landfill.
The paper, plastic containers, steel and aluminium cans, glass bottles and jars – or 15.6 per cent of our bin content – is recyclable. And organic kitchen and garden waste – 53.7 percent of our bins or bags – is compostable.
In a sustainable city, that represents a business opportunity. 'We could be creating compost that goes back in the ground,” rues Steve.
'We could be creating jobs at the transfer station, we could be making money and we could be saving all that money on the trucks going over the hill.”
We could, Christchurch is and Auckland, well maybe.
The Queen city has been dithering for two decades about dealing with the most harmful of waste streams – organic waste.
On the other hand, Christchurch built a regional composting plant about eight years ago and every year its churns out thousands of tonnes of compost which is sold to dairy farmers, commercial growers and landscapers.
What TCC is doing now is working up some options. Steve says there could be kerbside organic waste collection in Tauranga by the end of next year, or early 2019. 'Could be as early as that. Absolutely.
'We are working on the options now and they could be presented to council prior to June next year.”And a myriad of options could also include the upgrading of Te Maunga transfer station as well as re-starting a recycling service of its own. Another option is the council providing a composting service and leaving general waste to the private sector.
Read the rest of the story at www.theweekendsun.co.nz
11 comments
business Oppourtunities are not the Councils Business.
Posted on 15-07-2017 07:57 | By Cynical Me
I can't have my bin emptied when I need it done. No the socialists at council decree when that should happen. Get out of business you have no idea about customers and customer service. The reason those trucks go over the hill is that the socialists that run these things decided that was best for Tauranga some years ago. some private companies already sort their rubbish. Its the council run depots that don't. Sell the the things to someone who knows what they are doing. rubbish and buses should not be council business.
Well done Steve
Posted on 15-07-2017 08:35 | By waiknot
A real issue that is covered under council core services. Alternatively we could display in the new museum for future generations to see how dirty we are.
Steve
Posted on 15-07-2017 09:16 | By Capt_Kaveman
Blame your last and follow councilors, leave what is not broken, build a recycling plant, issue fines for people over loading kerbside bins causing a discussing mess and teach people not to have loose rubbish that is able to be blown away and basic rubbish safety, what is needed is a glass recycle areas as this is a major problem
here we go again
Posted on 15-07-2017 10:17 | By old trucker
Nothing else better to do mr steve, not your business, if thats all you have to do all day,gosh,just maybe you could loo k proffesional,(have a shave) and tidy yourself up first, a COMMENT from a womens magazine on empolyees( MEN) is this is a sign of laziness, this is my thoughts only on this, Sunlive, Thankyou, 10-4 out.
Recycling
Posted on 15-07-2017 10:36 | By overit
Some of my neighbours do not recycle, but have money for overseas trips, new cars, blah,blah. I think recycling should be compulsory in the modern world. I have a recycling bin and my rubbish bag goes out about 4-5 weeks full of light weight plastic from packaging. I am an avid gardener and my scraps either get cooked up for the chooks or go into my compost bin. My question is why cant we use paper bags anymore in this country that produces so much timber. Oh no, its all got to go overseas for them to process and sent back as something else.
Interesting
Posted on 15-07-2017 11:18 | By waiknot
I consider rubbish and recycling a core council job, others think it's not a council responsibility. Trucker he looks more than presentable to me.
Gosh
Posted on 15-07-2017 11:26 | By Papamoaner
It doesn't take much to trigger mob negativity around here. Rubbish disposal will always be an issue where there are population densities. @Oldtrucker - getting personal does your credibility no good at all
We all need to
Posted on 15-07-2017 15:24 | By nerak
wake up to this massive problem, and it is massive. Old Trucker, you are way out of line re your comment on Steve Morris, and I believe you should apologise.
Personal Choice
Posted on 15-07-2017 17:34 | By The Sage
I think the Council should stay out of this. The people should have freedom of choice as to who collects their rubbish. Some are better than others, that is why I have switched to a more reliable service who does not leave the lids open, in the rain, nor the bins lying on the ground. Sorry Steve, you look like a nice enough chap however I am not sure how much knowledge you really have on this. The Council should be providing a place, without trucks having to go over the Kaimais. That would really be taking responsibility instead of going around in circles. I wonder how much all these words and "consultation" is costing the ratepayers?
We have 'user pays' and a local organic waste plant and ...
Posted on 15-07-2017 19:55 | By Murray.Guy
We have 'user pays'. If you create more rubbish, you pay more. We have at Te Maunga an organic recycling plant (private). We have a recycling facility at Te Maunga which uses trucks to transport out of Tauranga. I have a recycling bin at my cost. I choose to feed my worm farm and bury food scraps in my garden. There is NO evidence that costs will reduced with full 'Council control', and putting local service providers out of business, rather just the opposite. Steve, how the NZTA counts trucks and trailers is irrelevant to the discussion, and your proposal may result in even greater separate vehicle numbers on our highways. Now, if you were suggesting we investigate retaining our waste and developing an alternative power, gas producing combustion waste incineration system, I'd be very interested in the outcome, the business case.
a simple convenient solution
Posted on 16-07-2017 11:25 | By astex
You don't need to look far. Most places have already found this. The problem here is that the people are expected to pay extra to recycle. In other areas, like New Plymouth, you simply separate your rubbish and the council truck, with different compartments, picks it all up.
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