|
8 Key Points to make to the councillors:
Background
The Auckland City Council (ACC) has now recommended
a new waste management service for Waiheke, which if
ratified will close down Clean Stream and give it
over to Australian owned company Transpacific
Industries (whose parent company has recently
suspended trading!).
At the moment, materials that can be recycled are
separated and sorted, which makes it a valuable raw
material that is sold. Under the new ACC
recommendation that waste will not be sorted for
recycling and it will be over-compacted and shipped
to the Visy on the mainland, turning our precious
resource into a mountain of waste.
1. This is about keeping our waste resources in
Waiheke’s hands, it’s not just about wheelie bins or
bags
Waiheke is getting some of the best recycling rates
in New Zealand (double the national target) and
providing jobs and services to the local community.
Our waste is our resource and not something to throw
into landfill.
2. The economic consequences of the new proposal
will very likely cost ratepayers more
The current ACC proposal to ship unsorted
recyclables off Waiheke Island could cost
Auckland ratepayers significantly more money over
the next ten years, even though the Council says
that the new recommended contract is cheaper now.
There can be significant price rises because of a
thing called an 'escalation' clause in the contract
that allows price increases. Because of the total
reliance on transporting waste off the island,
including all our green waste, TPI is much more
vulnerable to price increases, such as ferry price
increases due to rising fuel costs.
And, what about the cost to our local economy, jobs,
educational events (such as Junk to Funk), and to
the environment?
3. Local sorting adds value,
co-mingling reduces value
Waiheke’s current system has retained national and
international markets because hand sorting
recyclables creates the highest quality raw
material.
By putting all the recyclables into a large
wheelie-bin (or bag) you are co-mingling (which will
happen with the new contract whether its bins or
bags). Waste experts* from around the country, (Dr
Lesley Stone, Mr Chris Greaves, Mr Chris Colqhoun,
and the general manager of glass recycler
Owens-Illinois are just a few), say that co-mingling
leads to degradation and contamination of
recyclables.
This means the end product is low-grade and is hard
to sell on the market, which is borne out by Visy's
plant in Onehunga. Visy is on record asking for a
government hand-out as they are not finding a market
for their low-grade product.
4. The current proposal is at odds with the Waste
Minimisation Act and the Local Government Act.
Council has a LEGISLATIVE IMPERATIVE to also
reduce waste to landfill, not just have the
cheapest (and nastiest) waste service. ACC are
ignoring the Waste Minimization Act. ACC are
ignoring the Waste Management Plan under the Local
Government Act and indeed has changed from its
policy without public consultation.
Changing to wheelie bins will increase waste
to landfill - at present we use a 60 litre bag and
ACC has recommended moving to a 140 litre rubbish
bin. It is against all waste minimization wisdom –
it’s widely recognized that the most effective way
of reducing waste to landfill is to reduce the size
of containers that the public use.
5. The idea that we can choose wheelie bins or bags
is erroneous.
Firstly, that will be a totally inefficient method
to use and was not actually an option in the tender.
The fact that Auckland City Council are now offering
that makes a joke of the tender process and has
dubious legal standing.
We believe this is a red herring and a smokescreen
for Council to get its hands on our recyclables to
send to Visy, while acting as if Waiheke has been
listened to.
6. Council has not consulted us.
Auckland City’s own Waste Management Plan (written
with special consultative procedures) states that: “A
guiding principle specific to the Hauraki Gulf
Islands is that waste be managed on island whenever
possible. This is particularly to reduce
environmental impacts and to avoid high transport
costs.”
If the Council decide to change that, then they must
consult with the people of Waiheke, which has
clearly not happened. By going out to tender with
the proposal to process waste off island and to
wheelie bins they have flagrantly breached their own
policy and our democratic rights.
7. The current system works very well
i.
Employs up to 22 staff
ii.
Contributes over $1.3million in wages and
services within our community
iii.
Converts 25,000 litres of used cooking oil
from local restaurants per year to bio-diesel which
runs Clean Stream’s vehicle fleet
iv.
Helps Waiheke residents achieve one of the
top recycling rates and diversion of waste from
landfill in the country – double the new national
target at almost 40%
v.
Has no fee for green waste and produces mulch
for re-use in our gardens. It recycles almost 2000
tons of green waste per year
vi.
Produces such high quality sorted bales of
plastic and cardboard that these can be freighted
back to Auckland in the empty trucks that stock
Woolworths and are still finding national and
international markets even in today’s dire economy
vii.The current system is highly effective,
community supported, non for profit and highly
innovative. It should have Council support.
8. This is a long term – 10 years – decision.
Don't make a decision that you will regret. Listen,
for once, to the strong voice of the Waiheke
community, and remember that you are elected to
represent the people.
Urge the councillors to vote against the
recommendation, and at least to ask more questions.
As a ratepayer and registered voter, I urge you to
look into this issue and vote against the current
proposal. |
Community
turnout in numbers to protest Auckland City
Council's decisions and against the Australian
multi-national TPI, outside the Waiheke Transfer Station on
Wednesday 1st July. The first of many actions to come, and
part of a larger community involvement to keep up the
pressure on Auckland City Council and TPI to act
democratically and fairly and to listen to our community.
