Landfill Joint Venture Being Investigated

Dunedin (Thursday, 11 December 2014) – The Dunedin City Council is investigating a joint venture arrangement for the management of its Green Island Landfill, as part of exploring options for the future of waste disposal and minimisation.

Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull says, “The Council has already approved the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan which sets clear targets for us. Now we are exploring options to ensure the resilience of our waste management systems for future ratepayers.”

Under all the options being looked at, ownership of the Landfill would remain with the DCC to ensure the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan would continue to be implemented.

“The Landfill’s current resource consents expire in 2023 and it’s prudent to begin thinking now about how we deliver these services in the decades to come.”

The Council has decided to explore the idea of a joint venture with a private partner. Any decision would be months away and the process would include a public consultation process if any changes were proposed. As a first step, expressions of interest in a joint venture are being sought, closing at the end of January. Dunedin City Holdings Limited, which owns Council companies on the Council’s behalf, has been involved in the preparation of the expressions of interest documents.

DCC General Manager Infrastructure and Networks Tony Avery says the joint venture proposal relates only to the Landfill and does not have any effect on the kerbside recycling collection.

The DCC has several options available for the long-term future of waste management in the city. These include applying for consents from the Otago Regional Council to extend the current Landfill site, doing further investigative work and applying for consents to use a site at Smooth Hill which has been designated for that purpose, or considering a new site.

Mr Avery says a public/private partnership venture could potentially bring significant benefits. A private operator from the waste management sector would contribute expertise and knowledge as well as capital funding for future development.

This is not a new approach for local authorities. The Kate Valley Landfill, which services the broader Canterbury area, is governed by a partnership between five Canterbury councils and Canterbury Waste Services (which is owned by Waste Management NZ Ltd).

For reasons of commercial sensitivity, the issue of commercial landfill operations has been discussed by the Council in non-public in recent months. A governance advisory group, comprising Mr Cull and Councillors Richard Thomson and Mike Lord, has monitored the process with senior staff and DCHL.

For more information visit www.dunedin.govt.nz/roi-solidwaste.

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