Council extends Buller’s waste management contract by one year
Council has re-extended the waste management contract with Smart Environmental for one year, until 30 June 2026.
Smart Environmental Ltd (SEL) has delivered rubbish and recycling management in Buller’s waste management Zone one since 2014, with the current contract due to end on 30 June 2025.
The Buller District is divided into three zones for recycling and refuse. Zone one covers Westport, the areas from Westport to the Mōkihinui Bridge, Westport to Punakaiki, Westport to Reefton (including Blacks Point), and Reefton to Ikamatua.
In September 2024, council went to the open market seeking proposals from waste management companies interested in providing waste management for the next ten years, starting from 1 July 2025.
Group Manager Infrastructure Services Anthony Blom emphasises council's commitment to good strategic planning and risk mitigation, stating: “Three proposals from tenderers were received and evaluated.
Following the evaluation, further operational risks were identified, resulting in council deciding to review the scope of services. This decision was due to our commitment to establishing a sound base for our waste management in the coming 10 years. Hence, we opted to review the scope of services, and address the risks identified to ensure the best value for our community.”
Council has carried out extensive community engagement, involving two rounds of consultation between August 2023 and May 2024 before going out to market.
Mr Blom explains: “We will now review the contract, and once drafted, complete the tender process. Due to the timeline required to work through this, the current waste management services contract requires a further 12-month extension from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.”
Therefore, residents in Zone one will continue to use the 60-litre pre-paid rubbish bags which are collected weekly, until 30 June 2026. No wheelie bins will be issued until the new scope of services is agreed on.
The new waste management contract will include managing waste and recycling services and facilities in Zone one, including rubbish and recycling kerbside collection, Westport and Reefton Transfer Stations operations, and emptying of public litter bins in urban areas.
Mr Blom outlines: “Tenderers were notified that council proposes to modify the scope of services and that this will be run through a revised contract and tender process.”
All three of the companies tendering confirmed that they would be open to receiving a revised scope of service and tendering again.
Council expects the procurement process to be finalised in late 2025, after which it will confirm the preferred supplier.
-ENDS-
For further information, please contact:
Community Engagement Team
Buller District Council
Media.Enquiries@bdc.govt.nz
Disclaimer
The information in this media release was correct at the time of publication. Changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the information.