An artist's concept for a waste-to-energy plant proposed to be built at Waimate by South Island Resource Recovery Limited. Photo: Supplied/ SIRRL
The company behind a waste to energy proposal in South Canterbury hopes a series of public meetings next week will put residents' minds at ease.
South Island Resource Recovery Limited so far has had consent applications for a plant in Waimate returned twice because of a lack of information.
The company announced plans to build the plant in 2021, saying it would prevent 350,000 tonnes of rubbish from going to landfill each year.
However, the proposal has received stiff opposition from zero waste advocates who say the plant does nothing to reduce the amount of waste that is produced.
Waste-to-energy plants generate energy by burning rubbish to create steam, which is then fed through a turbine to produce electricity.
Director Paul Taylor said he understood Waimate residents were apprehensive about the proposal to burn waste and convert it into energy.
But the technology, which would be the first of its kind in the country, was of a high standard and would be well maintained, he said.
"We want to make sure that in bringing this technology to New Zealand that we don't take any short-cuts and that we promote only the best and we really have gone to the next level in terms of making sure this allays any of the concerns people may have around emissions, around human health."
Taylor said company officials and a plant specialist from Europe would be available to answer the community's questions.
Company expert Herman Sioen who has worked in the European industry since 1995 said he was surprised to hear New Zealand has no plants of this type.
A Waimate resident, Robert Ireland, who is the spokesperson for people opposing the plan, said it felt like the company was only holding community meetings to tick a box.
"A lot of these questions that the people of Waimate have got are based around: Why Waimate, it makes no sense. Most of the waste is coming from Christchurch and then they've said they are going to truck the ash back again to Christchurch."
He said residents were pleased the company was finally communicating again, 18 months after the last public engagement.
However, people have mixed feelings ahead of the meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, he said.
"What they gave us in terms of a concept and what we've seen in resource consent application 18 months later are two totally different things. So people have a bit of an axe to grind on that and it's a good chance for them to have their feelings heard."
