Media Release 17 September 2010

Earthquake Waste - where is it all going?

"Think about the long term effects."

That from recycling and waste specialist, Richard Lloyd, after a Council decision to allow contractors to dump unsorted building waste into "clean fills".

"The decision to suspend a 2004 bylaw that effectively protects precious aquifers from contamination, has been rushed and poorly thought through," he says.

Lloyd calls the bylaw introduced by the Council six years ago, "sensible and very effective" because it "ensured only genuine inert hardfill material (brick, concrete etc) could be deposited in the quarries and cleanfills around Christchurch".

Lloyd, who has over 15 years experience in environmental sustainability and the recovery of material for reuse, says there are many unanswered questions around this council decision and the dumping that continues every day.

"We must consider the long-term repercussions of this unregulated dumping. What resources have been put in place to make sure only building waste is deposited in these holes? Where are these holes situated? Will the Council dig it all up and sort it at a later date? The council has not made a decision on recovering the dumped material and now it is too late. The cleanfill operators have reduced their charges for receiving this material to the point where it will not be economically viable to go back and recover it later," he says.

Sadly, Lloyd says, by suspending the requirement to sort and recycle material, a large amount of "other" material is ending up in some cleanfill sites.

"I am aware of one site that has been taking in milk and alcoholic beverages along with demolition waste. While the Council has clearly stated this is not acceptable, I believe the operator knows he is unlikely to be held to account under the current circumstances. And even if he is found culpable, the penalty will be far less than the profit made from accepting this waste."

Lloyd is adamant that better management of the removal of earthquake rubbish and rubble now, will ensure better environmental outcomes in the long term, which must be a major consideration of local government.

"This kind of unregulated dumping has serious long-term implications for our city and surrounds. I commend the Council for taking decisive action in an effort to get the city functioning again, however I implore our Councillors to consult with industry experts and the community before making decisions that may in the end prove more harmful than helpful," he says.

ENDS

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