Auckland Waste Management and Minimisation Plan. getting auckland s waste sorted

Transcription

1 Auckland Waste Management and Minimisation Plan getting auckland s waste sorted June 2012

2 CONTENTS FOREWORD 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 PART A: Auckland now and into the future 12 1 Introduction Context for Auckland waste management Legislative and policy framework 16 2 VISION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES Vision Targets Strategic objectives Guiding principles Tangata whenua world view on waste management and minimisation Role of the council Public health protection Monitoring and reporting progress 28 3 THE CURRENT SITUATION: FINDINGS FROM THE AUCKLAND council WASTE ASSESSMENT Summary of key findings 28 4 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Future waste projections Future resource recovery/recycling projections Summary of future demand drivers 31 PART B: FUNDING 32 1 OVERVIEW 33 2 PROPOSED APPROACH 35 3 Financials 36

3 PART C: ACTION PLAN 38 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ACTION PLAN Strategic context The action plan process Criteria for identifying and assessing options 41 2 KEY methods Standardise funding methods for domestic waste and recycling services Kerbside refuse receptacles Move towards a consistent domestic kerbside recycling service across the region Introduce a domestic kerbside organic waste collection Regional inorganic collection Develop a Resource Recovery Network (RRN) Support business - particularly in the construction and demolition industries Advocate for product stewardship Advocate for amendments to the Waste Minimisation Act Facilitate local enterprise Investigate enacting a waste bylaw Hauraki Gulf Islands Implement a Strategic Framework for Communication, Waste Minimisation Programmes and Community Development 56 3 ACTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION Waste policy and operational actions Communications and Waste Minimisation Programmes 73 PART D: APPENDICES 76 Appendix 1: Auckland Council Waste Assessment 77 Appendix 2: Monitoring and Reporting Framework 77 Appendix 3: Community Grants Scheme Framework 80 Appendix 4: Options for Domestic Kerbside Organic Waste Collection and Domestic Inorganic Waste Services 81 TABLE OF DEFINITIONS 86 Printed on Cocoon Offset Recycled, made from 100% FSC certified post-consumer waste, processed chlorine free, using K+E Bio vegetable based inks and citrus cleaners. Placement to come from printer

4 FOREWORD The way we deal with waste in the 21st century is challenging cities in every part of the globe in unprecedented ways. I fully recognise that changes have to be made if we are to protect and enhance Auckland in the future. Tackling this complex issue will require courage, creativity and resolve. This is a challenging task. I will be taking a close personal interest in our progress over the next few years. This difficult issue touches everyone. It signals change to a smaller or greater degree for every household, but these are changes that we, as Aucklanders, can make together because we know for sure that they are for the good of the city and for all of us. This plan is about reducing the waste we throw into the bin, and about recycling and reusing more. We know that many of the resources we depend on, which we have often taken for granted, are becoming scarce. Yet there is so much we can do to ensure that resources we previously regarded as of no use such as food/green waste and industrial waste are fully used, and reused, reducing what we send to landfills. We want to aim high but also make sure we take people with us. In particular, the vulnerable must be protected and supported that is why any changes will be made carefully over a period of four years. All the actions that this plan will eventually require of us, are ones we would expect of a country that brands itself as clean and green, and of a city that aspires to be the world s most liveable. Len Brown Mayor of Auckland

5 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 5 Executive Summary Getting Auckland s Waste Sorted is the first Auckland-wide waste management and minimisation plan (WMMP). It is driven by a number of pieces of legislation including the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA), the Local Government Act 2002 and the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act With the amalgamation of the former councils, Auckland Council has seized the unique opportunity to create an integrated suite of waste services across the region in order to significantly reduce waste 1 in the medium term, with the long-term aspirational goal of Zero Waste. In a world faced with many major challenges now and in the future, this plan takes a precautionary approach to conserving Auckland s natural resources and doing it in an economically efficient way. Any potential change will be done carefully and in stages over the next few years. This will allow time for further collaborative discussions with the waste industry and communities, and to enable an extensive education programme before, during and after any change. At all stages the council will remain open to innovative and creative ideas from both industry and the community. The plan, including a comprehensive list of actions, is based on the findings of the Auckland Council Waste Assessment 2, and feedback from a range of community and industry stakeholders. It also reflects the goals and directive of the Auckland Plan. After analysing current waste services, and the nature of the industry and waste management infrastructure, the Auckland Council Waste Assessment concluded that it will be challenging for the council to achieve a significant reduction in waste to landfill under present ownership, governance and operational arrangements. This will need further consideration over time. This plan focuses on the approximately 17 per cent of the waste stream that the council currently influences (the remaining over 80 per cent is largely controlled by the waste industry, with limited council influence). The plan outlines specific actions that the council proposes to achieve consistent, streamlined, efficient waste services across the Auckland region in the domestic market that it influences and a considerable reduction in waste to landfill. Although the council does not control the services provided by the private sector, it will work collaboratively with the sector in order to achieve an overall reduction in waste to landfill under the legislative requirement to promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisation within its district. Creating a consistent, streamlined service means first addressing the different methods of waste collection, suites of services and funding models operated by the seven former councils. This fragmentation, along with lack of council influence over the waste stream, failed to fully meet the intent of either the WMA or the objectives of the former councils waste management plans. Standardisation of service (with the exception of the Hauraki Gulf Islands, rural areas, some scenic and coastal holiday areas and multi-unit properties) is one way to solve these shortcomings. The council recognises, however, that standardisation does not necessarily mean one size fits all, so will work with local boards and communities to reflect local needs as far as practicable. Working with industry, commerce and the waste sector is also vital, as is understanding the drivers of people s behaviours. Environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts of changes to waste services must also be considered. The complexity of Auckland s waste situation needs a multifaceted WMMP. Whatever decisions are made, however, change is inevitable, and the changes Auckland must make need to be managed carefully and progressively, particularly changes to refuse payment. The approach taken in this plan is to help communities across Auckland to reduce, recycle and reuse as much as possible only then will householders have to directly pay for what is left over that will go to landfill. A wide range of initiatives are outlined in the plan. Some can be implemented immediately. Existing contracts that expire at various points over the next few years mean other initiatives will have to be introduced over a longer timeframe. The council is conscious that ratepayers, while being mindful of their environmental and wider responsibilities, want rates to be kept as low as possible. The net cost (excluding growth and inflation) of the ultimate package of measures to reduce waste to landfill, including the new measures, is not to exceed the net rates requirement for 2014/2015, bearing in mind that all households will have the potential to substantially reduce the disposer-pays component of their waste if they use the full suite of services. Local government amalgamation has presented Auckland with an excellent opportunity to redesign the way waste is managed across the region and to become a leader in waste minimisation and resource efficiency. In doing so, Auckland can position itself among other leading edge, innovative cities around the world working towards Zero Waste goals 3. 1 Tthe definition of waste used in this plan is from the WMA. It refers to anything disposed of or discarded and includes a type of waste that is defined by its composition or source (e.g. organic waste, electronic waste, or construction and demolition waste) and to avoid doubt, includes any component or element of diverted material, if the component or element is disposed of or discarded. 2 The Auckland Council Waste Assessment was released in February 2011, updated in July 2011 and formally noted in August Such as Vancouver ( San Francisco ( and Adelaide (

6 IN BRIEF The plan has three main drivers: 1 2 the legislative requirement that: A territorial authority must promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisation within its district (WMA) the legislative need to review the seven former local authorities waste plans and the obvious desirability of forming one cohesive consistent WMMP for the region 3 the council s adoption of an aspirational goal of Zero Waste.

7 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 7 THE Plan Includes: A vision: 'to become the most liveable city in the world, Auckland will aim for the long-term, aspirational goal of Zero Waste 4 by , turning its waste into resources'. With: a short to medium-term target to reduce domestic kerbside refuse from 160kg to 110kg per capita per year (a 30 per cent reduction) by 2018, subject to the full range of services discussed in this plan being implemented a longer-term stretch goal to reduce total council- and privatesector-influenced waste to landfill by 30 per cent from the baseline of 0.8 tonnes per capita per year over the next 15 years (by ) by working with the commercial sector and the private waste industry an in-house target to reduce council s own in-house waste by 30 per cent per capita by guiding principles strategic objectives summary of findings from the Auckland Council Waste Assessment actions/methods. 4 Zero Waste was the vision in the waste plans of five out of seven of the former councils of Auckland. 5 The Auckland Plan. 6 Estimated by Waste Not Consulting drawing on data from the former councils and available private data and subject to discussions with the waste industry, appropriate regulation and ongoing resource allocation. 7 Tthis figure is extrapolated out from waste audits done by Waste Not Consulting for the former Auckland and North Shore city councils. A baseline for the new council was established in June 2012.

8 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN

9 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 9 Key actions/methods proposed in this plan include: 1. a move towards consistent funding of domestic waste and recycling services throughout the region (in terms of public-good, private-good and disposer-pays 8 ) 2. provision of consistent domestic waste and recycling services and receptacles across the region from 2015, where practicable, including: a fortnightly disposer-pays kerbside refuse collection using wheelie bins in urban areas with choice of bin size/capacity ranging from 60 to 240 litres, costing about $2.50 per lift 9 for an 80 litre bin. This charge per lift will be commercially competitive a fortnightly disposer-pays kerbside refuse collection using a mix of wheelie bins (60 to 240 litres) and prepaid bags in rural areas, the Hauraki Gulf Islands and certain holiday and scenic areas, with pricing reflecting the additional cost of this service a fortnightly kerbside recycling collection using wheelie bins with choice of bin size/ capacity ranging from 140 to 360 litres. This service would be private-good-funded (through rates and/or other funding sources). This would include collecting a wider range of recyclables than currently, with potential to expand the range even further over time a 240-litre wheelie bin recycling service for the former Rodney area as soon as practicable a kerbside collection of organic waste for urban areas only. This service would also be private-good-funded (through rates and/or other funding sources). This collection would be complemented by an intensive drive to encourage home composting, including in areas where the organic service is not provided. If the council were to provide a food waste only collection, or a combined system where the disposal of green waste would be minimal, that would be accompanied by a determined effort to work with the green waste industry to reduce the 10 per cent of green waste still in domestic refuse and other green waste which currently finds its way to landfill. an inorganic collection to dispose of bulky items and retrieve reusable and recyclable items provision of disposer-pays kerbside refuse and private-good-funded (through rates and/ or other funding sources) recycling collection services for domestic-type waste from commercial properties. If ratepayers adopt the full suite of services, thereby minimising their disposer-pays costs, over the longer term the average ratepayer/household will be no worse off financially and will enjoy more services. Concurrently, there will be a net environmental benefit 10. Note that the council does not intend to run any of the above services itself but would contract for provision. 8 See Part B, section 2 of this report for definitions of public-good, private-good and disposer-pays. 9 Tthis includes GST but does not take into account the start of the Emissions Trading Scheme charging regime and is dependent on the council retaining 90 per cent market share. 10 In terms of less waste to landfill and improved resource efficiency.

10 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN 3. development of a resource recovery network including facilities for hazardous waste and construction and demolition material drop-off 4. supporting business waste reduction particularly in the construction and demolition industries 5. advocacy for Container Deposit Legislation subject to further discussion with industry, and development of product stewardship schemes for products such as electronic waste, tyres, batteries, nappies etc 6. advocacy for changes to the WMA to give industry the same responsibilities for waste reduction as local authorities 7. facilitating local enterprise through the council developing initiatives and handing them to local enterprises to run at an appropriate time and by community grants and innovation competitions 8. investigating enactment of a waste bylaw by 31 October 2012 to support the intent of the plan and actions detailed within it, including a cleanfill regulation 9. introduction of a comprehensive waste minimisation programme to support the changes including education, community engagement and community development. Other actions proposed in the plan include: developing waste and recycling services for multi-unit dwellings providing schools with recycling services developing and enhancing waste exchange and waste brokering services piloting a sell-on-behalf-of service for unwanted items of value providing public place recycling bins working towards all events organised by the council and run on council properties to be run as Zero Waste events providing consistent loose litter collection across the region and reducing litter and illegal dumping developing comprehensive monitoring and reporting systems. Concurrent with these actions Auckland Council will work with the waste industry and landfill owners to reduce private sector-controlled volumes of waste to landfill. It will also encourage innovative ideas for specific waste streams (e.g. wood waste) which could be recovered for reuse or energy conversion. Auckland Council, including its council-controlled organisations (CCOs), must also walk the talk by demonstrating good waste-wise practice in its own operational processes, rules, practices and procurement policies. The council s preliminary in-house waste assessments indicate potential to reduce waste. It will, therefore, undertake to mirror the community kerbside refuse target, by committing to a 30 per cent reduction in waste per capita (from a 2012 baseline tonnage) from its in-house activities by 2018.

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12 DRAFT WASTE MINIMISATION & MANAGEMENT PLAN Part A AUCKLAND NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE

13 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 13 1 introduction Auckland sent million tonnes of waste to landfill in This represents approximately 0.8 tonnes of waste for every person in Auckland 12. This waste includes a significant quantity of material that, if separated, could be recycled and put to beneficial use. For example, around 65 per cent of kerbside refuse collected from households could be recycled or composted (or processed in some other way) instead of being sent to landfill KPMG data collection report, 24 June million tonnes divided by 1,522,000 (high population projection) equals tonnes per capita, rounded up to 0.8 tonnes per capita. 12 This figure is an average across the entire waste stream, not just the part the council influences. 13 Auckland Council Waste Assessment Appendix F: Auckland Council Waste Assessment Data Update Table 2.5. Waste Not Consulting. August 2011.

14 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN 15% RECYCLABLES 35% refuse 40% FOOD WASTE 10% green waste Figure 1: Composition by weight of an AVErage refuse bag/bin in Auckland 14 The purpose of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA) is to encourage waste minimisation and a decrease in waste disposal in order to: 1 2 protect the environment from harm; and provide environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits. 14 Food and green waste figures have a margin of error of 5 per cent. (Auckland Council Waste Assessment. Appendix C. Waste Not Consulting. Composition of kerbside refuse from residential properties in Auckland. October 2010).

15 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 15 It also aims, through the waste levy, to increase the cost of waste disposal so it better reflects the cost of waste to the environment, society and the economy. A waste management and minimisation plan (WMMP) documents the goals and actions adopted by a council to achieve effective, efficient waste management and minimisation, as well as the funding rationale for waste services and where the council s waste levy funding will be spent. Most New Zealand councils already have a waste management plan which, if reviewed, would not require major changes in waste management practices. However, the amalgamation of the Auckland councils means the status quo seven completely different waste systems is not a preferred or viable option. A new, more equitable, efficient and effective approach is needed. The first Auckland Council Waste Management and Minimisation Plan is an opportunity to design an integrated suite of systems that will meet the council s legislated waste minimisation responsibilities and steer Auckland on its journey towards Zero Waste. 1.1 Context for Auckland waste management The Local Government Act 2002 states that solid waste collection and disposal is one of the five core services that the council needs to consider in performing its role, in particular with regard to the contribution that it makes to its community. Before the 1990s, the rationale for waste management was protection of public health. However, the perceived need for councils to be involved lessened as waste management standards improved, and as landfill engineering and operation became more specialised and capital-intensive. Consequently, councils in the Auckland region, unlike those of other large metropolitan areas, withdrew almost entirely from waste infrastructure ownership. In recent years, as the focus broadened to include sustainability and waste minimisation, this lack of involvement constrained Auckland s former councils in meeting their waste minimisation obligations. Auckland Council now only influences approximately 17 per cent 15 of the waste stream, with the remainder controlled by private waste operators. This will remain a barrier to significant waste reduction unless the waste industry and business, in collaboration with the council, is able to voluntarily increase diversion from landfill. Change could be driven in three ways: 1. the government could amend the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 to give industry the same waste minimisation obligations as local authorities 2. Auckland Council could negotiate with infrastructure owners to gain more influence over the waste stream 3. in combination with option 1 or 2, the council could establish additional resource recovery infrastructure to overcome logistical hurdles for new service provisions. These scenarios need to be explored and all would take some time to accomplish. Consequently, this plan works on two fronts: working with the private waste sector and the business community to reduce waste volumes, and reducing waste to landfill by focussing on the 17 per cent the council currently influences. Of the four landfills and 17 transfer facilities servicing the Auckland region, Auckland Council has full control of only one the Waitakere Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station. It has no operational control of any landfills apart from the small Claris landfill on Great Barrier Island. And through its property CCO, the council owns a 50 per cent share of the Whitford landfill via a joint venture with Transpacific Industries Ltd. Most of the former Auckland councils were the principal collectors of domestic kerbside waste in their areas through contracts with the private sector. The exception was the former Rodney District Council which left residents to arrange their own collection services from private waste operators. All former councils provided a kerbside recycling service. Service levels differed considerably in terms of receptacle used (bags or bins), capacity (ranging from no restriction in the former Manukau City Council to a cap of 120 litres in the former Auckland City Council), and funding method (from disposer-pays to fully rates-funded). 15 Refer to Appendix F of the Auckland Council Waste Assessment. The 17 per cent is based on updated tonnage data as a percentage of current regional waste to landfill. 15 Refer to Appendix F of the Auckland Council Waste Assessment. The 17 per cent is based on updated tonnage data as a percentage of current regional waste to landfill.

16 DRAFT WASTE WASTE Management MINIMISATION and Minimisation & MANAGEMENT PLAN PLAN 1.2 Legislative and Policy Framework The Waste Minimisation Act 2008 The Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA) is the key piece of legislation regulating waste management in New Zealand. The sections of the WMA most relevant to this WMMP are: Section 3: Purpose of the Act The purpose of the WMA is: to encourage waste minimisation and a decrease in waste disposal to: protect the environment from harm; and provide environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits. Section 8: Product stewardship The purpose of this part is to encourage (and, in certain circumstances, require) the people and organisations involved in the life of a product to share responsibility for: ensuring there is effective reduction, reuse, recycling or recovery of the product; and managing any environmental harm arising from the product when it becomes waste. Section 25: Waste disposal levy Section 42: Responsibilities of territorial authorities A territorial authority must promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisation within its district. Section 46: Funding of plans 1. A territorial authority is not limited to applying strict cost recovery or user pays principles for any particular service, facility, or activity provided by the territorial authority in accordance with its waste management and minimisation plan. 2. Without limiting subsection (1), a territorial authority may charge fees for a particular service or facility provided by the territorial authority that is higher or lower than required to recover the costs of the service or facility, or provide a service or facility free of charge if: it is satisfied that the charge or lack of charge will provide an incentive or disincentive that will promote the objectives of its waste management and minimisation plan; and the plan provides for charges to be set in this manner. This plan considers waste and diverted materials in keeping with the waste hierarchy, as required by the WMA. The waste hierarchy states that waste actions are to be addressed in priority order so as to extract maximum benefit from resources and to produce the least possible residual waste. The purpose of this part is to enable a levy to be imposed on waste disposed of to: raise revenue for promoting and achieving waste minimisation; and increase the cost of waste disposal to recognise that disposal imposes costs on the environment, society and the economy.

17 DRAFT WASTE WASTE Management MINIMISATION and & MANAGEMENT Minimisation PLAN I 17 Other sections of the WMA that are relevant to this WMMP are Section 43: Waste management and minimisation plans Section 44: Requirements when preparing, amending, or revoking plans Section 45: Joint plans Section 46: Funding of plans Section 47: Grants Section 48: Governor-General may give directions to territorial authority Section 49: Minister may set performance standards for territorial authorities Section 51: Requirements for waste assessment Section 52: Waste management and minimisation services, facilities, and activities Section 53: Proceeds from activities and services must be used in implementing waste management and minimisation plan Section 54: Waste must be collected promptly, efficiently, and regularly Section 55: Health Protection Officer may serve notice on territorial authority for causing nuisance Section 56: Bylaws Section 50: Review of waste management and minimisation plan

18 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN Reduction - lessening waste generation Reuse - further using of products in their existing form for their original purpose or a similar purpose Waste diversion Waste disposal Recycling - reprocessing waste materials to produce new products Recovery - extraction of materials or energy from waste for further use or processing, and includes, but is not limited to making materials into compost Treatment - subjecting waste to any physical, biological, or chemical process to change the volume or character of that waste so that it may be disposed of with no, or reduced, significant adverse effect on the environment Maximum conservation of resources disposal - final deposit of waste on land set apart for the purpose Figure 2: Waste hierarchy From the Ministry for the Environment website

19 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 19 The purpose of the WMA is to encourage waste minimisation and a decrease in waste disposal in order to protect the environment from harm, and provide environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits. It also requires councils to promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisation within their districts even if, as in Auckland, over 80 per cent of waste and diverted materials are collected, recovered and disposed of by private operators. These legislative requirements are the main reason for council s desire to explore, with industry and government, ways to substantially reduce waste to landfill. The waste disposal levy introduced by the WMA is currently set at $10 per tonne of waste disposed to landfill (imposed at disposal facilities) 17. This is very low by international standards and is likely to increase over time. The intention of the levy is to put the cost of waste disposal (including economic, environmental, social and cultural impacts of landfilling) onto the disposer, creating an economic incentive to divert and recycle. The waste levy also creates a funding pool for waste minimisation initiatives. Half of the money collected is put into a contestable Waste Minimisation Fund and the other half is split among local authorities on a population basis. Local authorities must use levy funds for waste minimisation in keeping with their WMMPs. Funds can be withheld if the Minister for the Environment believes the territorial authority has not adopted a plan, reviewed it as required, has not spent funds appropriately, or has not met performance standards. Auckland Council currently receives approximately $4.2 million annually from waste levy funds New Zealand Waste Strategy In adopting a WMMP, the council is required by the WMA to have regard to the New Zealand Waste Strategy. The first New Zealand Waste Strategy, Towards Zero Waste and a sustainable New Zealand, released in 2002 sets out the government s long-term priorities for waste management and minimisation. It includes specific targets for reducing various types of waste including organic, special, construction, demolition and hazardous waste. For example, one of the targets for organic waste was to divert at least 95 per cent of garden waste from landfill by December This, and other targets, were not achieved and specific targets have since been dropped from the revised 2010 strategy. However the council considers that they remain valid goals to aim for within an updated timeframe, as without targets the focus is diluted. The plan covers all aspects of waste management from collection to treatment and disposal. The revised 2010 Waste Strategy, Reducing harm, improving efficiency, provides direction to local government, businesses (including the waste industry), and communities on ways to: reduce the harmful effects of waste improve the efficiency of resource use 18. The WMMP defines waste as waste to landfill. Diverted materials means discarded materials not sent to landfill such as those collected for recycling and composting. The plan s primary focus is solid waste. However, it also takes into account the potential harm of all wastes: solids, liquids and gases (but not the collection or treatment of human bio-solid waste although treatment of the residual sludge for reuse might be explored in future in collaboration with Watercare Services Ltd). The plan covers all aspects of waste management from collection to treatment and disposal. In the waste hierarchy landfilling is the least desirable outcome however, it is not technically or economically feasible to divert all materials from landfill at this time. 17 Tthis amount remains unchanged following a recent high level national review by the Minister for the Environment. 18 Tthese are the two goals of the New Zealand Waste Strategy 2010.

20 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN While Auckland Council accepts that landfilling will remain the main waste disposal option for some time, its WMMP establishes Zero Waste as a long-term aspirational goal and the key driver of council services. Council s decisions on the plan must also accord with the following Acts of Parliament: Local Government Act (LGA) 2002 The Health Act 1956 Resource Management Act (RMA) 1991 Emissions Trading Amendment Act 2008 The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO) Waste collection, treatment, and disposal has been highlighted as a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and is believed to be responsible for 6 per cent of Auckland s overall emissions (based on 2009 levels 19 ). It is estimated that in 2009 GHG emissions from waste totalled 618 ktco2e (kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent). Under a business as usual scenario, emissions are projected to increase a further 35.8 per cent by Council s goal is a 40 per cent reduction in human generated GHG emissions 20 by 2031 (based on 1990 levels). The WMMP must contribute to the target by creating and identifying waste minimisation, collection and treatment services and single-stream (e.g. waste wood) waste-to-energy opportunities. The council is currently developing a GHG emission reduction strategy for discussion. Climate Change (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2008 Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 WMMP establishes Zero Waste as a long-term aspirational goal and the key driver of council services. 19 ARUP (2011) Potential Policy Options to reduce Greenhouse 19 ARUP Gas Emissions: (2011) Potential Draft Technical Policy Options Report to (2011). reduce Client Greenhouse Report Gas for Auckland Emissions: Council. Draft Technical Report (2011). Client Report for Auckland Council. 20 The Auckland Plan. 20 The Auckland Plan

21 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 21 To become the most liveable city in the world, Auckland will aim for the long-term, aspirational goal of Zero Waste by 2040, turning its waste into resources.

22 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN 2 Vision and Guiding Principles 2.1 Vision To become the most liveable city in the world, Auckland will aim for the long term, aspirational goal of Zero Waste by 2040, turning its waste into resources. Zero Waste means changing the way we think about waste, treating it as a resource rather than a disposal problem. Put another way, Zero Waste is about moving from linear to cyclical resource flows.

23 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 23 processing sorting collection marketing cyclical Figure 3: Linear and cyclical resource flows design raw materials manufacturer Source separation consumption landfill disposal linear The Zero Waste philosophy encourages redesigned resource life cycles in which almost all products and materials are reused as in the natural world. Minimal waste is sent to landfills. The following working definition, often cited by experts in the field, came from a working group of the Zero Waste International Alliance in Zero Waste is a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary, to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use. Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health. Encouraging waste reduction at source through informed purchasing and producer responsibility, and establishing resource recovery and recycling systems further down the supply chain, gives Auckland the potential to significantly reduce waste to landfill and become a resource efficient city. 2.2 Targets Auckland Council, underpinned by the plans of the former councils, wishes to work towards a substantial reduction in the entire waste stream sent to landfill. This plan provides: details on how the council proposes to deal with the waste it directly influences an outline of council s intentions towards reducing total waste to landfill. This plan focuses on the 17 per cent of the waste stream that the council influences (made up of domestic kerbside waste collections). Therefore, the one short to medium-term target chosen to measure the effectiveness of the plan over the next six years is also in the area of domestic kerbside waste collections. Each person in the Auckland region produces, on average, approximately 160kg 22 of kerbside refuse per year (including refuse collected by the private sector). The former Auckland councils with disposer-pays funding methods sent the least waste to landfill as little as 104kg per person per year. Those that used rates funding and unrestrained volumes sent as much as 199kg per person per year. While this comparison does not take into account other variables such as the size of the bin or bag, the range of recyclables collected 23, waste minimisation initiatives or socioeconomic factors, it still suggests that introducing disposer-pays across the Auckland region will significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. The initiative expected to produce the largest waste reduction, if introduced with disposer-pays funding for refuse, is kerbside organic waste collection (food waste only or food waste plus green waste). Because around 50 per cent (by weight) of the contents of kerbside refuse bins and bags is organic material 24 (with food waste being about 40 per cent of the bin, and green waste about 10 per cent), this action has the potential to almost halve the domestic kerbside waste stream. 22 Based on 2010/2011 data. Total council-collected kerbside residential tonnes divided by population using council services. This does not relate directly to the figure of approximately 0.8 tonnes per person given in the introduction section as this larger figure includes waste from all sources including commercial waste, household hazardous waste, waste dropped off at transfer stations and inorganic collections. 23 This does not include the inorganic collection Auckland Council Waste Assessment Appendix F: Auckland Council Waste Assessment Data Update Table 2.5. Waste Not Consulting. August 2011.

24 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN If the council were to provide a food waste only collection, that would be accompanied by a determined effort to work with the green waste industry to reduce the 10 per cent of green waste still in domestic refuse and other green waste which currently finds its way to landfill. Based on these and other initiatives in the action plan (and subject to economic viability assessments), the short to medium-term target for council and private sector domestic kerbside refuse sent to landfill is a 30 per cent reduction from the current regional average of 160kg per person per year to 110kg per person per year by Current (2010/2011), 160kg per person per year target (2018) 110kg per person per year Figure 4: Domestic kerbside refuse short to medium-term target of 30 per cent reduction per capita per year This target can be achieved by combining: a different charging regime potential investment in new infrastructure for collecting and processing organic waste a reduction in overall organic volumes to landfill through collaboration with the waste industry an intensive, incentivised drive for home composting a restriction of organic waste (green waste and food waste) from domestic refuse collections a substantial investment in a comprehensive waste minimisation programme, including education (e.g. reducing food waste, alternatives to disposable nappies), community engagement and community development. Before amalgamation, the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance 25 noted that the fragmented nature of the region meant opportunities were being lost, including public education programmes using television and other media. With amalgamation, Auckland can now roll out a major regional public education campaign to support the significant changes proposed. Longer-term, and subject to the collaborative programmes with the private sector outlined in the action plan and ongoing discussions with the waste industry, the council aims for a stretch goal of 30 per cent reduction in waste going to landfill (council and waste industry influenced) over the next 15 years from a baseline of 0.8 tonnes per capita per year. 2.3 Strategic objectives To most effectively reduce waste, Auckland Council has adopted Strategic Option 3 in the Auckland Council Waste Assessment 26 as its preferred strategic direction. One of the parts of this option refers to either gaining more influence over the entire waste stream to encourage separation and resource recovery (and reduce waste going to landfill), or advocating for changes to the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA) to give industry the same waste minimisation responsibilities as local authorities. Negotiations with industry to secure more council influence over the waste stream could be a medium to long-term exercise. The focus of this plan is, therefore, primarily on the part of the waste stream that the council influences, made up mainly of domestic kerbside collections, with a smaller amount from transfer station drop-off and inorganic collections. 25 royal Commission on Auckland Governance 2009 report wasteassess-report.pdf

25 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 25 With this in mind, the strategic objectives of this plan are: reducing Auckland s reliance on landfills achieving operational efficiencies in domestic waste and recycling services reducing harm from waste restricting organic waste going to landfill developing an infrastructure and processes to maximise resource recovery reducing council s responsibility for dealing with end-of-life consumer products and packaging through appropriate advocacy maximising local economic development opportunities; e.g. jobs created by diverting waste from landfill reducing litter and illegal dumping and related costs. 2.4 Guiding Principles This waste management and minimisation plan (WMMP) draws on key principles to guide decision-making. The plan: is based on the internationally recognised waste hierarchy (figure 2), the goal of which is to move up the waste hierarchy as far as possible recognises kaitiakitanga 27 and stewardship, which takes an integrated view of the environment and the relationship between all things. Kaitiakitanga and stewardship represent the obligation of current generations to sustain the environment s capacity to support life for present and future generations is integrated, meaning it addresses all legislative requirements and is aligned with council s own policies and bylaws incorporates the principles of sustainability by considering the social, cultural, environmental and economic impacts of its decisions is underpinned by mauri as a key concept for indigenous resource management and waste so that land, water and food gathering sources are protected from the inappropriate disposal of waste 28 is built on the premise that innovation and lateral thinking are needed to solve intractable waste problems supports the idea that, wherever possible, the generator of waste should be responsible for paying the true cost of managing waste, thereby encouraging waste reduction signals that communities need to understand and be involved in solutions. A strong emphasis is placed on promoting waste reduction behaviour by engaging the community through direct involvement, education and community-based programmes is also open to developing partnerships with tangata whenua in order to: - support sustainable development of Māori outcomes, leadership, community and partnerships - enable tangata whenua to co-manage natural resources 29 aims to deliver the most cost effective and efficient solutions to meet the requirements of the WMA and the New Zealand Waste Strategy while maximising waste diversion and minimising costs to ratepayers will be monitored and evaluated, and reported on each year. Accurate data is essential to track progress and enable future decision-making supports improving energy efficiency and carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 27 The exercise of guardianship by the tangata whenua of an area in accordance with tikanga Māori in relation to natural and physical resources; and includes the ethic of stewardship (Resource Management Act 1991, s.2.1). 28 As acknowledged by the New Zealand Waste Strategy 2002, inappropriate waste disposal can damage the relationship Māori have with their lands, waters, food gathering areas, and wāhi tapu. Dumping waste into mahinga kai diminishes the site s mauri and mahinga kai values. The interdependence of mahinga kai ecosystems means any contamination, even of one species, has a negative flow-on to all species in the ecosystem, including people. (Draft Regional Policy Statement 2010.) 29 The Auckland Plan.

26 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN 2.5 Tangata whenua world view on waste management and minimisation Introduction The tangata whenua world view encapsulates multi-layered concepts in relation to environmental knowledge. At the heart of the tangata whenua/ mana whenua world view is a belief that everything and everyone is interconnected and, therefore, should be valued and cared for 30. To be consistent with this view, waste management and minimisation cannot be regarded in isolation from environmental management 31. This is an essential feature of Te Ao Māori. This section summarises those tangata whenua ethics, values and principles that inform waste management and minimisation Tangata whenua high level ethics and values Tangata whenua ethics and values stem from a belief system about the origin of the universe in which humans and nature are not separate, but related parts of a unified whole. Descended from the union of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatuanuku (the earth mother) and their offspring, humans share a common whakapapa (genealogy) with other animals, plants and geographic locations. According to whakapapa, the natural world is our kaitiaki (guardian) who nurtures and cares for us. The concept of reciprocity and reverence means we in turn are also kaitiaki with a responsibility to care for te ao turoa (environment). As a result there are functional relationships between tangata whenua and particular ecosystems that are unique to iwi, hapu and whānau. The primary responsibility for mana o te whenua (status of the land) in this context resides with ahikaa or mana whenua from specific geographical areas. As the people are intrinsically linked with the natural world, the mana of the iwi, hapu, or whānau is directly related to the wellbeing of the natural resources within their rohe, or region 33. For Mana Whenua in the Auckland region, Mana Motuhake (absolute sovereignty) is the term that best describes sustainability in te ao turoa as it focuses on the value of: manaaki tangata: care and regard for the people manaaki whenua: care and regard for the land manaaki atua: care and regard for taonga Māori (natural resources) bestowed upon the whenua by Io (creator) Waste management and minimisation There is no waste in nature and there was very little waste in the early society of tangata whenua. In fact, the Māori language does not have a word that aligns directly to the meaning of waste. The waste produced by tangata whenua was of a high organic content and was disposed of onto or into the land, where it would slowly decay and not come into contact with water sources. Waste was viewed as a resource which would return to Papatuanuku (earth mother) as compost. Everything was biodegradable, or could be reused, recycled or viewed as a recoverable resource. The traditional handling of waste was organised so that waste associated with specific activities was handled through a complex set of rules 34. These practices required different disposal methods for different types of waste, for example human waste was not mixed with food waste. A closed loop approach ensured that material was separated appropriately for composting or further use. Body waste was kept separate from solid waste and disposed of back into the ground at a great distance from water. Advances in technology mean that waste produced by all sectors of society has become more difficult to deal with, due to: increased volume brought on by an increased population and behavioural changes an increase in non-organic and potentially hazardous components to the waste stream Auckland Regional Council (2007) Te Kohao o te Ngira, Mana Whenua response to the draft long term Sustainability Framework for the Auckland Region. 31 Ministry for the Environment (1993) Planning in Waste Management, Te Whakaari o Takitimu. Guidelines for Māori. 32 Auckland Regional Council (2007) Te Kohao o te Ngira, Mana Whenua response to the draft long-term sustainability framework for the Auckland region. 33 department of Conservation (2002) NZ Biodiversity Strategy. 34 Ministry for the Environment (1993) Planning in Waste Management, Te Whakaari o Takitimu. Guidelines for Māori p Southland Regional council (1996) Regional Solid Waste Management Plan.

27 WASTE Management and Minimisation PLAN I 27 Modern solid waste management and minimisation can incorporate a tangata whenua world view. There are also specific realities which need to be considered particular to tangata whenua when developing waste management and minimisation plans. For example, it is well documented that tangata whenua have strongly voiced the need to keep waste (and the leachate from waste) out of surface, ground and coastal waters and to ensure that refuse disposal facilities are not sited on waahi tapu (areas of cultural or historical significance). Tangata whenua ethics and values can provide the framework to explore strategies and techniques to deal with solid waste in the Auckland region, as modern concepts of valuing natural resources, reusing, recycling materials, and care with disposal of residual waste have many synergies with the tangata whenua world view. 2.6 Role of the council The purpose of the WMA is to encourage waste minimisation and a decrease in waste disposal. The council s role under the act is to promote effective and efficient waste management and minimisation within its district. Although the council has adopted Strategic Option 3 in the Auckland Council Waste Assessment as its preferred strategic direction, it does not intend to run its own collection services, but wherever practicable, provide them via waste operator contracts. In addition, the council is keen to encourage innovation within the private sector such that waste is seen as a valuable resource. The council is focused on the end goal and on how services are provided to achieve this goal. Who delivers the services is a secondary consideration. The council will support and encourage industry when it is working proactively towards the same goal. Auckland Council s governance, policy development and operation of waste management are conducted as follows. Governing body Auckland Council s governing body and local boards share decision-making responsibilities. The governing body focuses on region-wide strategic decisions, such as regional landfill contracts, the shape of regional waste services, preparing a solid waste bylaw, and setting regional strategies, policies and plans. The governing body will consult with and consider the views of the local boards before making decisions that affect the communities within each local board s area, or the responsibilities or operations of that board. The governing body is responsible for the following waste activities: Auckland WMMP standards and guidelines for waste management and disposal region-wide service standards, such as refuse and recycling services landfill management. Local boards Local boards are responsible for communication with community organisations and special interest groups within their local board area and identifying and communicating the interests and preferences of the people in local board areas in relation to the content of the council s strategies, policies, plans and bylaws. In accordance with legislative principles, local boards are generally responsible for making decisions on non-regulatory activities except where decision-making on a region-wide basis will better promote the wellbeing of communities across Auckland. Under the current allocation of decision-making between the governing body and local boards, local boards have decision-making and oversight of variations to region-wide service levels for the local area, such as refuse and recycling services, and have decision-making and oversight of local waste management plans and projects, within regional parameters. Local boards will be an important part of the implementation of this plan, advising on such aspects as the rural/urban boundary split, the provision of community education, the placement and number of public place recycling bins and service levels in the Hauraki Gulf Islands. They may also choose to be proactively involved in the potential establishment of local resource recovery centres Any actions would be in the context of local board budgets.