Inorganic collection could be scrapped

By ANNE BESTON

It is a brave council that would dare come between Aucklanders and their inorganic rubbish collection, but the two-yearly ritual is under threat.

Auckland City Council's works committee is set to consider an environmental planners' report this year on the pros and cons of a "resource recovery park".

The concept, already running in Christchurch, would replace the kerbside pile-up.

Locations considered for the drop-off and recycling centre include Onehunga and Glen Innes.

The regular household collection already trucks 90,000 tonnes of rubbish to the tip each year at a cost of more than $10 million.

The inorganic collection adds a further 8000 tonnes at a cost of about $1.8 million every second year. It is estimated between 40 and 50 per cent is "recoverable" and could be reused.

And it's not just Auckland City residents who rush to pile up another two years' worth of junk the minute the inorganic collection flyer arrives.

North Shore City and Waitakere both hold roadside collections. A North Shore ratepayer survey found it was by far the most popular service the council offered.

Waitakere City is following the "recovery centre" track but has no plans to scrap its roadside service. Hamilton does not have an inorganic collection and neither does Wellington.