‘Ambitious time frame’ set for Whanganui’s kerbside recycling

Kerbside recycling is set to be introduced to Whanganui in 2023. Photo / NZME

Whanganui’s new kerbside recycling service could be in operation by mid-year in what the council admits is an “aggressive and ambitious time frame”.

Tenders for the contract have closed and Whanganui District Council general manager of community property and plans Sarah O’Hagan told the council’s Operations and Performance Committee the evaluation process of interested parties would take two to three weeks.

She said there had been a good level of interest and contract negotiations with the preferred supplier were due to be completed by the end of April.

“We’ve been clear with our interested parties that we were aiming for July 1 but we accepted that was a very aggressive and ambitious time frame.”

O’Hagan couldn’t give an exact start date until the evaluation process had been completed.

In May last year, it was reported that the estimated cost to ratepayers per household would be $134.16.

Council chief executive David Langford said that remained the cost estimate, and an update, if needed, wouldn’t be made until the tender assessment process was completed.

The tender process began just before last year’s local election period and authority had been delegated to council officers to keep the project moving, Langford said.

“One of the requirements was that we report back to council before we awarded the contract,” he said.

“Expect that to land on an agenda near you soon.”

Councillor Ross Fallen asked whether the tender process included a potential supplier’s willingness to assist people with disabilities with their recycling - going “up and down the drive”.

O’Hagan confirmed that an assisted service was part of the tender.

In May last year, the council voted to introduce a kerbside recycling service in 2023 and food waste collection in 2024.

There were around 170 written submissions in favour of a recycling service, with 90 opposed to the idea.

For food waste, there were more than 160 against and a little over 90 in favour.

The council estimated the food waste service would set ratepayers back $60.84 per year.

A funding application has been submitted by the council to the Ministry for the Environment for a food scraps trial and service, due to start on July 1, 2024.

The Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre has made a tender for the sorting component of the recycling service.

General manager Dale Cobb said that process was something his staff was familiar with and specialised in, and there could be a 20 to 30 per cent increase in product coming to the centre if its tender was successful.

“We would handle it all through a sort line or conveyor belt system,” Cobb said.

“It would certainly maintain our connections and links with our contractors and with the anticipated increase in volume, it would also encourage more job opportunities for locals.”

Cobb said because the service would be ratepayer generated and available “at your door”, more and more people would come on board.

“Our population is increasing too, no doubt about it. We see a lot of new faces at the centre. Clearly, Whanganui is continuing to grow and develop.

“We want to be a part of it and continue to provide a service to our region.”

As for the July 1 start date, Cobb said the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle on areas like Hawke’s Bay and the East Coast might make that difficult, especially in terms of infrastructure.

“Money and finance aside, there may be a greater priority or need for things like trucks over there, given the disaster they suffered.”