Tauranga and Western Bay Councils are currently carrying out a review of their Waste Minimisation Plan. It appears that they think too much organic material and glass is currently going to landfill. In order to remedy this they are considering a number of proposals ranging from leaving things as they are (all private sector and use-pays) to changing to a rates-funded rubbish and recycling collection.

These proposals are detailed in a council document which can be accessed via a link in a story on the Sunlive website titled “The future of WBOP rubbish”. Alternatively you can click on:

http://econtent.tauranga.govt.nz/data/bigfiles/com...

For more than 20 years the private sector has provided a range of services from a number of different providers. This means that most residents can choose the type and size of bins they want, the frequency of collection and quality of service and the provider they prefer. Competition has kept prices down and means we all have to maintain service quality or risk losing business. This has also provided incentives to the public to produce less waste (composting can greatly reduce your rubbish disposal costs) and to recycle more (recycling bins are cheaper than rubbish bins).

Under the rates-funded system being advocated every household would be supplied with 4 different kerbside bins and the cost would be added to your rates whether you want it or not. Every property in the district would get the same 4 bins regardless of the property size or number of occupants. Clearly this penalises the people who have made the biggest effort to help the environment and rewards those who have done the least – it also penalises small households and most particularly the elderly, many of whom cannot use a kerbside service.

A joint committee of both councils will be choosing their preferred option on 16th May and in June there will be some public discussion before both councils vote for or against these options in July.

If you would like to continue with a USER PAYS rubbish & recycle system rather than rates founded, please SIGN THE PETITION ; we want the public e/a the Tax Payer to be heard on this very important issue .