A CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT TO ENABLE MACKENZIE DISTRICT TO ACHIEVE ZERO WASTE TO LANDFILL

Joanne Koppel, VCU Technology Ltd, (e-mail: [email protected]) Geoff Hemm, Solid Waste Manager, Mackenzie District Council, (e-mail: [email protected])

Abstract

With 3 700 permanent residents spread over an area of 7,450 km2 and seasonal population surges due to a thriving tourism industry, Mackenzie District Council (MDC) faces a number of challenges in the establishment of a waste minimisation programme. However, this has not deterred MDC from committing to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2014. This has resulted in the closure of all landfills, the opening of three resource recovery parks and the implementation of ’s first fully source-separated kerbside collection.

These initiatives have come about through collaboration between Council, the local community, DOC and Ashburton Wastebusters. VCU® Technology Ltd has also had involvement in these initiatives, with the installation of an in-vessel composting facility at the Twizel Resource Recovery Park. This system plays a key role in MDC’s waste management initiatives, enabling nearly half of the waste stream to be diverted from landfill and converted into a valuable resource.

The resource recovery parks obtain their waste from kerbside collection, and delivery to the parks by commercial enterprises, including DOC waste collection, which services the Mt Cook village. In order for these initiatives to succeed, strong leadership from Council and committed involvement and support from the local community are required. This has been tackled in a number of ways, from the employment of local community members to run the resource parks, to the establishment of a waste education service based on the Wastebusters Education Programme. Innovative methods to encourage community involvement included a local competition to name the VCU®, the monthly awarding of prizes to those presenting their waste in the most compliant form and the production of regular newsletters to reinforce the need for residents to separate their waste.

1.0 Introduction

1.1 The Mackenzie District

The Mackenzie District is home to 3,700 permanent residents, spread over an area of 7,450 km2. The geographical size creates a significant transport component for any waste collections held within the district, with only a small base of ratepayers to meet these costs. The population also swells significantly over the summer months with an influx of tourists to the region. The population increase creates seasonal surges in waste volumes, with a significant portion of that surge generated by non-ratepayers.

Page 1 of 9 The first step towards sustainable waste management practices was undertaken in 1996, with the preparation of a Waste Management Plan (WMP). This document was prepared to comply with national legislation, with its main focus on waste minimisation. The WMP identified a number of broad objectives to achieve this purpose:

To initiate a reduce, reuse, recycle education programme; To commission suitable resource recovery sites; To provide recycling facilities within those sites; To assist businesses to implement waste minimisation practices and initiate waste exchange programmes within the community.

1.2 Influencing Factors for Improved Waste Management

1.2.1 Zero Waste Charter

MDC increased their commitment to reduce waste when they also signed up as a zero waste council in October 1999. Mackenzie District Council set a further goal of becoming the first council in New Zealand to achieve the target of zero waste to landfill. Thus they aim to meet their target by 2014, one year earlier than the Zero Waste National objective.

1.2.2 National Waste Strategy

This year the Ministry for the Environment launched the New Zealand Waste Strategy, which calls for all New Zealanders to take responsibility for reducing waste and ensure that wastes are reused where possible and residuals disposed of in a safe manner. MDC’s new waste system endorses the Strategy and is a direct move towards Zero Waste and protecting the region’s natural resources. In the event of the Waste Strategy developing into national legislation the Mackenzie District will already be a long way towards meeting its requirements.

1.3 Analysis of the Solid Waste stream

An analysis of the solid waste stream was conducted to prioritise the wastes for council to target. General categories of solid wastes produced within the district were identified as:

Green waste, e.g. leaves, branches, lawn clippings, prunings and other plant residues; Kitchen waste from households and restaurants; Offal, animal carcasses & faeces; Paper and cardboard; Glass, plastics, metals, reusable goods; Construction waste, such as off-cuts of timber, concrete, gib-board, etc.

The organic portion was estimated to make up 47% of the total waste stream, and thus the diversion of organics from landfill became a key focus of the waste minimisation

Page 2 of 9 programme. The predicted relative proportions and annual tonnages of compostable waste produced within the district are given below (wet weights):

Putrescible Waste 878 tonnes per annum Shreddable Green Waste 852 tonnes per annum TOTAL 1730 tonnes per annum

However, caution must be exercised on two key points: firstly, the statistical information available on the District’s waste before the inception of the new system was exceedingly sparse, and secondly, the new system splits green waste into “Shreddable Green Waste” (woody material, requiring shredding/chipping before going into the VCU) and “Soft Green Waste” (leaves, soft weeds/ bedding plants and lawn mowings, which may be fed straight into the macerator with the putrescibles). The soft green waste is thus statistically included within the putrescible waste category and the shreddable green waste resides in its own category.

Compiling reliable predictive figures for future operations has been complex, challenging and intriguing. The historical data was sparse and unreliable, as very little information was recorded and frighteningly, the integrity of the old system had broken down. Collapsed fences allowed unauthorised vehicles to enter after-hours and multiple copies of the gate keys had been made, leading to uncontrolled dumping. The projected figures are much higher than those that were available, and so far appear more realistic. Waste analysis figures for the non-compostable waste types are too tentative to quote here, as under the new system the full amount of any material produced is split between that which is recovered and that which is disposed of as residual waste.

2.0 Actions to Manage and Reduce Wastes

2.1 Establishment of a Waste Working Party

In February 2000, a Waste Working Party was appointed to involve political figures, council staff, and members of the local community in deciding what strategy should be followed in the future. The working party met on a regular basis, with each meeting allowing members to discuss the issues involved, make decisions on how to proceed further; report back to the group on particular tasks, and generally ensure that MDC were on target to meet the overall deadline of commissioning the new waste management systems.

2.2 Evaluation of Waste Management Options

Various options were assessed on both a financial basis and on the maximum portion of the waste stream that could be diverted from landfill for each scenario. The outcome of this was to see MDC implement a new waste management system, incorporating:

The construction and in-house operation of three new Resource Recovery Parks; The installation of a Vertical Composting Unit (VCU) to process organic waste;

Page 3 of 9 A new 3-bag Kerbside Collection system for residents; Financial incentives to separate waste; A comprehensive education programme; Residual waste transported and disposed of at Redruth landfill.

To implement this new system, MDC set about working with a range of affected parties. This included DOC, large food waste generators such as The Hermitage, local communities, Ashburton Wastebusters and VCU® Technology Ltd. These relationships are essential in providing the support and resources required for the new system to succeed.

2.3 Implementation of the New Waste Management Plan

2.3.1 Resource Recovery Parks

In May 2002, Council closed each of the District’s three remaining landfills, all of which were sub-standard and whose resource consents were due to expire. The day after the landfills closed, the three new Resource Recovery Parks (RRPs) opened in Fairlie, and Twizel. As the largest town in the district receiving the greatest proportion of putrescible waste, Twizel became home to the vertical composting unit (VCU®).

Following the closure of the landfills, all residual waste is now transported out of the district for disposal at the Redruth landfill in Timaru. The disposal costs for this are considerable and therefore it has become imperative to reduce residual quantities to the minimum.

2.3.2 The Vertical Composting Unit (VCU®)

The organic portion of the waste stream was estimated (accurately) at 47%, with large amounts of kitchen waste requiring processing in a short space of time during the tourist season. MDC investigated a number of options to deal with this and decided upon a single chamber Vertical Composting Unit (VCU®). The VCU® has provided MDC with a tool to convert the district’s putrescible and green wastes into a valuable resource, with the revenue gained from the sale of the product ultimately reducing waste disposal costs to ratepayers. A significant component of the district’s food waste is generated by the Hermitage Hotel at Mount Cook, where during peak season the hotel kitchens prepare up to 1000 meals per day and over 30m3 of food waste per week. Food and garden waste is also collected at the Tekapo and Fairlie sites, with the former being delivered to the VCU® on a regular basis and the latter being stockpiled, shredded quarterly and either trucked back to Twizel, or sold locally as mulch.

The VCU® system has been designed to enhance the biological activity that occurs during natural composting. Odour control is achieved through passive airflow and self- biofiltration, as microbes consume most odour causing compounds before they reach the

Page 4 of 9 exhaust outlet at the top of the chamber. The high temperatures achieved within the upper portion of the chamber (65 to 75°C) destroy any pathogens or weed seeds that may be present within the waste. As the chamber is insulated, the external environment has little influence on the microbial processes, enabling the system to continue to operate during the extreme cold conditions experienced in Twizel.

Product is harvested daily from the base of the VCU® to create space for the organic wastes to be fed in at the top of the chamber. Before feeding, the putrescible waste is pulverised through a macerator and blended with chipped and shredded garden waste. The mixture is then fed into the VCU chamber and retained for 7 to 14 days. MDC are currently building up a stock of the compost and the results of laboratory analyses indicate that the product is of excellent quality. MDC are investigating various market options and in due course will decide on how, when and for how much the compost will be sold.

The modular design of the VCU® allows the system to be easily expanded as extra capacity is required. MDC’s foresight resulted in the selection of what is referred to as a VCU25 expandable. This means that the system is supplied with provisions for further chambers to be added as required. A second 25m3 chamber is planned for later this year.

2.3.3 Three Bag Kerbside Collection

The new household collection system is a vital part of the overall waste management system. It allows residents to separate their waste into three main categories (compostable, recyclable and residual) and have it collected from the kerbside every Monday morning. A clear bag is used for recyclables, a green bag for compostables, and a black bag for residual waste.

The collection contractors pick up the three colours of bags, keeping them separated on the trucks, and drop them off at the appropriate spots around the resource recovery parks. The park operators then sort the recyclables, culling those that are too contaminated, and placing the clean materials into wool packs ready for pressing. They ensure that all residual waste is placed in the appropriate skips for transport to the Redruth Landfill in Timaru. At Fairlie and Tekapo the putrescibles/compostables are stored in skips for transport to Twizel. In Twizel itself, the putrescibles are thrown straight into the in-feed hopper, which delivers its contents to the macerator.

Mackenzie District’s new kerbside collection is the first fully source-separated collection to be established in New Zealand, allowing for the recycling of both inorganics and organic materials. MDC have also expanded the inorganics recycling programme beyond the scope of many existing New Zealand collections by receiving all forms of recyclable plastic. Those currently not processed in New Zealand will be stored for future use.

Page 5 of 9 2.3.4 Education and Community Involvement

Ashburton Wastebusters and the Waste Education Programme

The Mackenzie District Council recognises that education will play a huge part in the success of the new programme. MDC engaged the Ashburton Wastebusters Trust to initiate and oversee the education programme. The education programme involves keeping schools, householders, businesses, tourist operators and farmers up to date with the changes and provides information on minimising and managing their wastes. Ashburton Wastebusters developed a programme for the Mackenzie District, and selected two education officers on MDC’s behalf: a Business Education Officer and a School Education Officer.

Council and Community Involvement

A vital aspect to the methodology undertaken by Mackenzie council was their decision to retain full managerial control of the district’s waste. This not only allows greater control over the planning, implementation, operating procedures, and associated costs, but also increases the level of collaboration between council and the local community. The education officers and resource recovery park staff were selected from the local community. The staff therefore provide familiar faces to aid in the transition from total landfill disposal to the use of resource recovery parks. By bringing the operation of the parks in-house, MDC have been able to employ the right people for the job; that is, those who will carry the message to the people as well as providing MDC with feedback on how the new systems are operating.

Further community involvement came in the form of a colouring-in competition for local children, as well as a competition to name the VCU®. Traditionally all VCU® installations are given a woman’s name. MDC upheld this tradition and selected the name JOAN (Just Organic And Natural), as suggested by a member of the Twizel community.

2.3.5 Publicity Campaign

MDC have backed up their new waste management system with a publicity campaign to keep the community informed and involved. MDC initially developed a “No Time to Waste” brochure outlining its goal of zero waste to landfill by 2014, why they had made this commitment, the location of the new resource recovery parks, the people involved, a statement from the mayor and introducing the three bag system. The remainder of the publicity campaign was driven through radio stations, local papers and educational videos. Mail drops offering similar information were also made to all homeowners, both resident and absent.

The MDC also publishes a monthly newsletter, Waste Line, for both residents and businesses. It provides an update on the district’s progress towards waste reduction and outlines further ways the public can help to meet these targets. The newsletter has a monthly prize drawn from those whose waste is best presented in terms of cleanliness and degree of separation. The Waste Line is available in electronic form on the MDC website.

Page 6 of 9 Experimentally, a weekly Tekapo newsletter is also sponsored. Under the title of “Waste- Not”, it is minimalist in content and format, concentrating on hitting home a single message each week. It is copiously illustrated and also awards a prize to good recyclers each week.

2.3.6 Incentive Scheme

New Pricing Schedule

The pricing regime for the kerbside collection has been set to provide incentives for the public to separate their waste as much as possible. Each household received an introductory number of 30 of each of the 3 new bags. Once these bags have been used it costs residents $0.25 for each clear (recyclables) bag, $0.50 for each green (compostables) bag, and $1.00 for each black (residual waste) bag. The clear bag (40L) is twice the size of the green and black bags (20L) as a further incentive to separate out recyclables. These charges very closely reflect the actual cost to the Council of handling and processing or disposing of the contents of each bag, assuming it is used to capacity. The user is thus confronted with the real cost of waste disposal, all subsidies and other distortions having been removed.

Gate charges at the resource recovery parks also reflect the difference between each type of material and the true cost of its disposal, with green waste and recyclables attracting a tariff amounting to 20% of that charged for residual waste. For example, the disposal fee for a carload of compostable garden wastes and/or recyclable wastes is $3, compared with $15 to dispose of the same volume of residual wastes. On a commercial scale, the disposal costs for garden waste and recyclables is $5 per cubic metre or $25 per cubic metre for residuals. The rate for disposal of putrescible waste is $ 90-00/ton, reflecting the additional handling and processing issues required with this type of waste.

3.0 Results to date

At the time of writing, the Mackenzie’s new waste system has been running for a mere 18 weeks and most of this has been over the quietest time of year. To draw hard and fast conclusions at this stage would be grossly premature however, certain observations can be made and results to date can be reported.

3.1 Opposition and Competition

Despite all our efforts and best of intentions, human nature being what it is has thrown up some opposition, lack of co-operation, apathy and competition. This was anticipated from day one, and should be considered inevitable. The response of the MDC has been measured and well considered. Criticism and negative comment must be listened to and used to check oneself. The primary function of Council is to serve the residents and it must be responsive to their needs. For example, short and elderly people have expressed frustration at having to lift residual waste into the skips provided. They have a point, and now the skips are to be recessed into the ground to make it easier for them.

Page 7 of 9 In the case of opposition one can only counter it with well-reasoned argument, factual explanation, good humour and a great deal of forbearance. There is strong temptation to reach for the statute book and stick, but these will never achieve the compliance from winning voluntary support. Resistance has come in many forms from packing rat carcasses in the middle of recyclables to ignoring all the requirements of the new system, from burning waste at home to dumping it in the bush and from paying a farmer in beer to dump on his property to stuffing everything into public waste bins.

Competition has emerged in Fairlie in the form of a Timaru contractor who offers a wheelie bin service for a remarkably low fee. His customers practice no separation, with all waste taken to Redruth Landfill. The MDC is confident that in time its system will become comparatively cheaper and will enjoy growing support owing to its obvious benefits and shifts in attitudes. In the meantime, it regards such initiatives as no more than a distraction, since they attempt to negate the new system. The positive aspect is that it is up to the MDC to sell its system and keep it running efficiently in the knowledge that slackness will be rewarded with loss of clients. If in the long run the residents take their waste to the opposition, the Council is not getting it right.

3.2 Changes in Attitude

It is clear to all that the Mackenzie’s waste is being handled in a completely new way. Gone is the stench, the flocks of squawking gulls, the flies, the lean and hungry hordes of feral cats and erstwhile sullen supervisor who impatiently ordered visitors to dump between the drums and woe betide if they did not. Visitors are greeted with a smile, have the system explained to them, given a tour when the site is quiet and, if on the wrong side of youth or fitness, are helped with their unloading. Waste disposal has become a pleasant experience and just as there are resistant members of the public, there are many who applaud the changes and delight in participating in an enlightened system. They present their waste beautifully and provide greatly appreciated encouragement. It is hoped that their influence spreads.

3.3 Waste Reduction

Visitors to the parks will also see an obvious redirection and use of waste. 47 % of what used to go into landfill, namely the compostables, now emerges from the VCU® as rich, black compost. Stacks of baled cardboard and paper amounting to tens of tons, await shipping, bales of aluminium cans, and plastics are likewise readied. Glass is seen to be professionally collected and stockpiled in an orderly fashion. Cast-off furniture, household items and demolition timber is being bought cheaply instead of being thrown into a pit that filled with embarrassing speed. The residual waste is much reduced and it too, is cleanly and professionally handled. The bottom line at this stage is that 26% of the total waste stream processed by Council goes to landfill as opposed to 100% under the old regime. Out of 110 tonnes of putrescibles received (wet weight), 34 tonnes (dry weight) of high grade compost has been produced plus that which is still in the system.

Page 8 of 9 3.4 Economic Benefits

It is far too early to provide evidence of economic benefit from the new system. However, ratepayers can be happy that without a rates increase, they have a new waste system with three new RRPs that cost them less than a million dollars. A single, properly engineered landfill to meet the District’s needs would have cost several times more.

While the environmental benefits are obvious, economic ones are more elusive. Certainly, any waste system must be run as a business, with prudently applied funds, efficient management practices, well motivated personnel and a desire to advance with the times.

3.5 Flexibility

With planning and implementing the new system, the MDC was faced with many challenges. Financial restraints, were as always, present. Political and technical circumstances changed during the process and the afore-mentioned lack of hard data made it difficult to plan systems and procure equipment with suitable capacity. The strategy to deal with this was that of building in flexibility. Do not commit to purchase equipment about which there is any doubt and keep as many options open as possible. Let the system evolve to suit the circumstances and the community it serves. What works in one place on one scale, will not necessarily work elsewhere or on a different scale.

4.0 Conclusions

If the Mackenzie experience is to be summarised in a few ideals, it is these:

1. Waste must be separated at source. 2. The personnel involved in setting up and running a waste system must have energy, enthusiasm and genuinely believe in what they are doing. Teamwork is essential; to cover the range of skills needed and the sheer volume of work. 3. Information needs to be willingly given and received. Communicate with the community, within the team, and with collaborative businesses and organisations. 4. The hearts and minds of the community must be won. 5. Plan to be supremely flexible. The system must be able to evolve as demands and technology change. What appears ideal in the planning stage often turns out to be impractical. 6. Be open to new ideas. 7. Run the system according to good business practice.

The future will reveal how closely we have been able to stick to these ideals.

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