Waste

The term 'waste' describes materials or substances that are no longer needed or have lost their economic value and require disposal.

The regional landfill at Colson Road. In our increasingly consumer-driven society, with its throwaway philosophy, the management of waste is a major issue, with the challenge being to find new uses for materials no longer required (i.e. recycling) or to find ways of cutting down on the quantity of materials that end up being discarded (i.e. minimising the amount of waste generated).

There is also a need to ensure that large volumes of waste can be safely disposed of.

All sectors of the community must be engaged in waste management awareness and implementation. It is no longer a case of leaving it to the local council rubbish truck crew.

Click for big version. In Taranaki:

  • The whole region is now serviced by just one landfill, at Colson Road in New Plymouth, maintained to ‘best practice’ standards, with a future site secured. This compares with the situation 15 years ago when the region was serviced by about 20 sites, some of them just ‘dumps’.
  • The quantity of waste discharged to the landfill has increased by 20% between 1996 and 2008.
  • Increasingly wastes are discharged to cleanfills, which have grown in number from 13 (in 2003) to 23.
  • Approximately 70,000 used tyres are produced per year, but demand for uses such as silage pit covers and culverts, is matching supply.
  • Council kerbside recycling collections have expanded in the region. For example, a kerbside green waste collection is now being offered in South Taranaki.
  • Since 1991, the Taranaki Regional Council has collected and disposed of more than 40 tonnes of redundant, unknown or hazardous wastes.
  • Waste minimisation and recycling is being promoted in the region and increasingly businesses are taking up the challenge.

The Regional Waste Strategy has been prepared and adopted by all four councils in the region. The Strategy provides specific waste minimisation and management goals for local authorities, industry and the community on matters relating to waste minimisation, hazardous wastes and waste disposal.

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Case study

WOMAD patrons sorting waste for recycling.

World of Music, Arts and Dance — and Recycling
It’s quickly become an event that defines Taranaki almost as much as the mountain does. And now WOMAD is adding status and standards to the zero waste campaign.

Thanks to a year of planning and the efforts of 40 volunteers, three-quarters of the almost 15 tonnes of waste material generated in the three-day festival in 2008 were diverted from landfill for recycling or composting.

Festival food sellers were required to use recyclable or biodegradable packaging and utensils, recycling centres were set up around the Bowl of Brooklands site and the volunteers were busy both behind the scenes and also out the front, helping Festival patrons sort their rubbish.

As befitting a festival that promotes harmony, patrons were happy to co-operate and were impressed by the resulting cleanliness of the site.

The Taranaki Arts Festival Trust Chief Executive, Suzanne Porter, said the effort was hard work but very worthwhile. “We were really impressed with the volunteer support. Their enthusiasm was contagious and the concept caught on among everyone at the Festival – patrons, artists, traders and staff.

“We’re also conscious we’ve set a benchmark for other large events, locally and nationally. People who were at WOMAD will be expecting to see this elsewhere, so event organisers need to take notice.”

The operation was supported by the Ministry for the Environment Sustainable Management Fund, and the success of the Trust and the volunteers was marked with a Taranaki Regional Council Environmental Award.

 

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