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Council commits to construction and demolition waste recovery for Buller

31 Oct 2024

Buller District Council has confirmed its commitment to developing long-term solutions for waste management on the West Coast by approving a construction and demolition recovery facility at the Westport Transfer Station.

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste refers to waste generated from building construction, demolition, renovation and repair. The main types of waste produced are wood, steel, concrete, minerals, gypsum, masonry, plaster, metals, and cardboard. All these have the potential to be reused rather than end up in landfills.

Group Manager Infrastructure Services Michael Aitken says: “We have been working on this project for a while - most of the C&D waste on the West Coast is currently disposed of in landfills, creating a large environmental footprint. Discarding C&D waste is particularly costly in Buller, due to the need for transport to Nelson’s York Valley landfill.”

Mr Aitken explains: “A C&D waste recovery facility in Buller will allow certain items to be recovered and reused locally instead of transported and disposed of outside the district. There will still be a component of C&D waste that cannot be recovered, which will be trucked to an appropriate landfill.

A C&D facility will reduce the total amount of C&D waste that eventually goes to landfill, and it will be significantly cheaper for builders to pass on materials for reuse at the C&D facility for a small charge.”

In 2021, Buller District Council, Grey District Council, Westland District Council (WDC), and the West Coast Regional Council (WCRC) secured $900,000 from the Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF) to design and build a network of facilities for the recovery, reuse, and reprocessing of construction and demolition waste on the West Coast.

The funding covered completion of a feasibility study to test the project’s market viability and will also cover the cost of constructing the C&D recovery facilities. It excludes any operational costs necessary to run and administrate these facilities.

Council staff have estimated the operational costs, including staffing, machinery, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation expenses, which will be confirmed as an outcome of council’s waste management services tender.

Council endorsed covering these operational costs through a mix of income, generated through gates fees, selling reusable items, external funding from the Waste Disposal Levy Funds, and a small portion from general rates.

Two other facilities are planned to be constructed in Greymouth and Hokitika, with each district council covering the running costs of its C&D facility. 

Mr Aitken highlights: “To secure funds for the facility’s construction, the Ministry for the Environment required council to commit to the ongoing operational costs, maintenance, depreciation and insurance.”

Greymouth District Council has already committed funds in its Annual Plan to fund the ongoing costs. Westland District Council will make a decision by the end of the year.

Mr Aitken says: “We have taken the lead right from the start on this project and with council’s decision, we have confirmed our commitment to future-focused management of C&D waste.”

The Westport Transfer Station receives on average 169 tonnes of C&D waste each year. However, these quantities do not reflect the actual amounts generated in the district, since this figure excludes any uncontrolled and unregulated C&D waste disposal.

The WMF supports projects in New Zealand that increase material reuse, recovery, and recycling. It was set up by central government and is financed through waste disposal levies.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:  
Community Engagement Team
Buller District Council
Media.Enquiries@bdc.govt.nz