Funding announced for Raglan food waste collection

Raglan will join the short list of communities in New Zealand to benefit from a dedicated food waste collection service later this year.

Associate Minister for the Environment Scott Simpson announced a Waste Minimisation Fund grant of $150,000 yesterday (13 June) to confirm the implementation of the food waste collection, diversion and composting services in the Raglan community.

Xtreme Zero Waste, Waikato District Council and the Ministry for the Environment have teamed up to deliver the service, a first for the Waikato, coming in 2017.

Following the completion of a trial and research project carried out by Xtreme Zero Waste in Raglan, the service will be extended from the 100-household trial area in Raglan West to the 2000 properties that currently receive a kerbside refuse and recycling collection. 

Xtreme Zero Waste relationship manager Rick Thorpe says food waste is the biggest component of kerbside waste going to landfill. This creates greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. 

“This is why food waste has become one of the most important waste streams to remove from landfill,” says Mr Thorpe.

Raglan currently diverts 75 per cent, by volume, of its total solid waste.

According to Mr Thorpe, diverting food waste could reduce waste to landfill by up to 10% by volume and up to 20% by weight. 

This diversion should save money in the cost of transport of Raglan’s waste to landfill. 

Other advantages of a food waste collection are fewer bad odours from rubbish bags and fewer instances of animals getting into rubbish bags left on streets for collection.

Waikato District Council General Manager Service Delivery Tim Harty says a food waste collection in Raglan would form an important part of Council’s Less Waste Save More philosophy

“Waikato District Council is committed to reducing the amount of waste that is sent to landfill. We are pleased to work with Xtreme Zero Waste and the Ministry for the Environment to deliver a service that will do this,” says Mr Harty. 

A project of this nature will put the Raglan community well ahead in the diversion of waste to landfill.

“I am delighted to announce the Waste Minimisation Fund grant towards this collaborative project and to see the work that has been achieved so far by Waikato District Council and Xtreme Zero Waste,” said Mr Simpson on a visit to Raglan yesterday.

“This is a great example of how local collaboration can create valuable new services that will reduce the amount of organic waste ending up in Waikato landfills.”

Diverted food waste will be made into high quality compost in Raglan at Xtreme Zero Waste that will be available for purchase. 

Funding is available to deliver the food waste collection service to the Raglan community for a year. The service will be reviewed and consultation will be carried out with the Raglan community through the LTP process to consider the rating implications of continuing the service over and above that year.

Image caption: Xtreme Zero Waste Relationship Manager Rick Thorpe, left, Raglan Community Board Chairman Bob McLeod, Xtreme Zero Waste Operations Manager Cain Brodie, Raglan Ward Councillor Lisa Thomson and Waikato District Council Waste Minimisation Officer Pat Cronin on the site of Xtreme Zero Waste’s Horizontal Composting Unit.

For more information please contact:
John Brown
Communications Advisor
Waikato District Council
07 824 8633
communications@waidc.govt.nz