Kāpiti Coast District Council is to work with the other seven councils in the Wellington Region on an updated joint waste management and minimisation plan (WMMP) that will change the way we deal with waste.

Councils are required by law to adopt a plan for managing and minimising waste then review it every six years. Council’s strategy, operations and finance committee agreed to proceed with the development of the new regional plan which is being led by Porirua City Council and Beca on behalf of all eight councils in the region.

Councillor Jocelyn Prvanov, speaking as Kāpiti’s representative on the Wellington region WMMP joint committee, said the second-generation regional WWMP would be based on the principles of a circular economy. This keeps resources in use for as long as possible, then recovers and regenerates them at the end of each life. It’s a positive alternative to the largely linear system which dominates today of making something, then using it for a while before throwing it away.

“This is our opportunity to work with our communities and mana whenua to make a real difference to the way we manage and minimise waste. It’s part of helping shift our region to a low carbon way of life and creating a circular economy where we value our materials and create jobs in waste minimisation,” Cr Prvanov said.

“The updated regional plan will guide the development of a local action plan where we tailor regional goals to actions in our rohe,” she said.

The WMMP must be reviewed within statutory timeframes for council to remain eligible for waste levy funding. The levy funds much of the waste minimisation activity in our district and enables Council to support community initiatives to promote and achieve waste minimisation.

Levy funding comes from a government levy of $30 (increasing to $60/tonne by July 2024) paid by landfill operators on each tonne of waste sent to municipal landfills. Half the money collected is paid to councils quarterly each year. The amount Council receives is determined by the number of people in our district and fluctuates depending on how many tonnes of waste are disposed of at landfills each quarter. Kāpiti’s share is estimated to be about $400,000 this financial year. It’s our main source of funding for dealing with waste, rather than rates.

Residents are expected to be able to have their say on the draft plan about May 2023.

Read all about rubbish and recycling in Kāpiti at kapiticoast.govt.nz/waste, including the current WMMP and Council’s role.

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