Landfill prices in Marlborough are set to increase, in a bid to encourage people to send less waste to the dump.
File image: Rubbish dump Photo: 123rf
Marlborough District Council assets and services Manager Richard Coningham said the rise in costs was largely driven by Government increases in the Waste Disposal Levy and emissions trading scheme.
The council has just completed its annual review of waste fees and charges. It's assets & services committee approved a rise across the board to recover all costs associated with the increase in the Government's Waste Disposal Levy, the landfill carbon price, landfill aftercare/reserve provisions, and contract escalations from user pays (gate fee) contributions, as well as an amendment to the kerbside refuse collection targeted rate.
"This year will see a significant increase in landfill gate fees due mainly to the increase in the Waste Disposal Levy, carbon price and aftercare/reserve provisions at our regional landfill at Bluegums in Blenheim," Coningham said.
The Government has confirmed that the Waste Disposal Levy will increase from $23.00 per tonne to $34.50 per tonne, which accounts for 41.9 percent of the overall landfill gate fee increase.
The tonnage rate at the Bluegums landfill will increase by $27.44 per tonne, with the average cost for disposing of waste at the transfer stations or waste sorting centre increasing by around $3.50 per visit, while the average cost of grass disposal will increase by 28 percent.
"Cost recovery for these increases needs to be made via increased gate fees and an amendment to the kerbside refuse collection targeted rate, in line with council's user pays policy."
Blenheim Ward Councillor Michael Fitzpatrick said the Government used price hikes to persuade people to dump less and recycle, reduce, and repurpose more.
"There is no alternative to these revised waste fees and charges as they are initiated by Government legislation, designed to support a policy of landfill avoidance," Fitzpatrick said.
"Any attempt to reduce the impact of these changes would undermine this policy. Instead, people need to be encouraged to focus on reduction, reuse, and recycling, to limit the amount of material sent to landfill."
The new charges will come into effect in July.
