by Matthew Martin matthew.martin@dailypost.co.nz
The delivery of paper rubbish bags to Rotorua residents will stop and people will have to buy them from supermarkets or other outlets under a controversial proposal put before councillors.
But the idea, recommended to the council's works committee by its waste minimisation sub-committee yesterday, sparked a heated one-hour debate among councillors - and resulted in them putting off making any decision.
Waste minimisation sub-committee chairperson Julie Calnan, a champion of the idea, said savings of about $30 a year could be passed on to individual ratepayers.
"Only three of 71 councils I called in New Zealand continue with the practice and there are issues around the delivery of the bags.
"However, and more importantly, research from other cities shows that households cut down on the amount of rubbish waste
The waste minimisation sub-committee is made up of Mrs Calnan, plus councillors Maureen Waaka, Karen Hunt, and Mike McVicker.
But councillor Janet Wepa said she was concerned the litter problem would increase without other measures, such as kerbside recycling, being introduced as well.
Works Committee chairwoman Glenys Searancke assured the public no decision had yet been made by the council.
Councillor Karen Hunt said rubbish bag delivery was an outdated concept that needed to be reviewed.
"We are looking at changing people's behaviour. Many people just dump everything into their bags and don't recycle," Mrs Hunt said.
Councillor Charles Sturt said the idea would not stop the dumping of rubbish, saying it will now end up in the back yards of rental properties.
"If it ain't broken, don't fix it," Mr Sturt said.
The rubbish bag recommendation was one of a number presented at yesterday's committee meeting. Others included special CBD recycling bins, a $200,000 upgrade of the city's recycling centre, and trial recycling centres at some local schools.
Councillor Bob Martin called for all these recommendations to be presented to the council in their entirety.
"This is just one idea being put forward. I would like to see the rest," he said.
The council eventually decided to refer the matter back the relevant committee next year. Councillors agreed that any recommendations from the sub-committee should be taken into account together, not bit by bit.
Mrs Calnan said she was frustrated by some councillors opposing the recommendation but pleased the sub-committee's ideas were now in the public domain.
The role of the council's waste minimisation sub-committee is to investigate the district's entire waste stream and to make recommendations.
Mrs Calnan said the subcommittee continues to work on other waste management issues such as kerbside recycling, waste from lakes communities and commercial waste.
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