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The Thames-Coromandel District Council says there's been a great response from locals for its free green waste clipping drop-off trial.

This summer council has been accepting green waste which has then been put through the Biosolids Composter in Whitianga to produce high-grade compost for the district's park and reserve.

Mulched green waste ready to be mixed with bio-solids from the wastewater treatment plant and put through the composter to produce clean and safe Grade Aa compost. Photo: TCDC

'So far we've put 25 cubic metres of your green waste through our mulcher to produce about five cubic metres of mulch,” says council.

'This gets mixed with the biosolid product that comes out of our wastewater treatment plant and put through the composter to produce clean and safe Grade Aa compost.”

The trial is to see if council can save on sorting and mulching costs by asking people to bring useable green waste directly to a new site adjacent to the composter on Moewai Road in Whitianga.

Green waste that will be accepted includes grass clippings, hedge and bush clippings, and weeds if they mixed in with hedge and bush clippings. Branches no greater in diameter than 100mm that have green, leafy bits still attached will also be accepted.

However, council will not be accepting branches that are bare are more than 100mm in diameter, flaxes, root balls, soft species.

And please remember: plastic, cardboard and other household rubbish should be disposed of in your recycling wheelie bin or blue council rubbish bags, or taken to the Refuse Transfer Station.

If trial is able to produce more compost than the parks and reserves team requires, council may also look at making the compost available to crop farmers and private residents for their gardens as well.

The composting plant will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 3pm, and on Wednesdays from 10am to 12noon during the summer trial period.

For more information on the biosolids composter visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's website at: www.tcdc.govt.nz/biosolidcomposter

When dropping off your domestic green waste at the Whitianga composter keep an out for this sign. Image: TCDC