From: The Zero Waste Network, Feilding Against Incineration, Why Waste Waimate and Don’t Burn Waipā

The Zero Waste Network Aotearoa (ZWN) and community groups opposing incinerators and waste-to-energy will be demonstrating outside of the Local Government New Zealand Conference in Palmerston North against the building of new waste incinerators and for a zero waste future on Thursday 21 July from 8.00-9.00 am and again from 11.30 am-1.00 pm when Minister David Parker is speaking.

“We are putting local government elected officials and the Minister for the Environment on notice that these incinerator and ‘waste-to-energy’ proposals threaten all our efforts at waste minimisation and close the door to a zero waste future for Aotearoa,” said ZWN spokesperson Dorte Wray.

“Waste incinerators create a market for more waste. They lock Councils into long term contracts to provide continual streams of waste."

"We have waste and climate emergencies so we need to use our collective resources to stop creating waste by using better systems and design, not spending millions to build infrastructure that burns valuable resources and pollutes.”

“Incinerators compound our existing waste problems. Incinerators knowingly create hazardous waste where none existed in the feedstock (mixed solid waste). The toxic ash that remains has to be landfilled, the carbon emissions add to climate change, and the heavy metals and cancer-causing dioxins are released into the air, water and land.”

“Communities rely on local governments’ decision making to protect their futures and not to act purely on the basis of short term economic growth. Mayors will change, councils will change, businesses will come and go. What doesn't change is who pays the price for poor decision making - the community,” said Robert Ireland, spokesperson for Why Waste Waimate (South Canterbury).

“Incinerators are a false solution and out of step with current central government direction and do not fit with current policies locally, nationally or globally” said Feilding Against Incineration spokesperson Ellieda Komene.

“Importing waste will denigrate the mana of community environments and ultimately human health. Replacing destructive technologies with regenerative systems which uphold Māori sovereignty, support localised solutions and restore our relationships with Ranginui and Papatūānuku me ā rāua uri is what we urgently need. Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata - when the land is well the people are well. “ said Dale-Maree Morgan spokesperson for Don’t Burn Waipā.

© Scoop Media