Council has joined the Sustainable LivingProgramme

For further information please visit their website www.sustainableliving.org.nz  

For information on local seminars, courses and workshops please visit www.coreap.org.nz or phone 0800 267 327 or 03 448 6115.

Wise use of water in Central Otago gardens brochure (380kb)

World Environment Day 2008 presentation(pdf 698kb)                

Household rubbish and wheelie bin collections

Rubbish collection

Wheelie bins should be placed out by 7am on the day of collection. New residences can order their bin through any Council office (Alexandra, 03 440 0056: Cromwell, 03 445 0211: Roxburgh, 03 446 8105: Ranfurly/Naseby, 03 444 9170). Collection days are as follows: (alterations to services due to public holidays will be advised in the Council weekly notice in the Central Otago News and on notice board).

Monday: Alexandra (except Bridge Hill)
Tuesday: Bridge Hill and Clyde
Wednesday: Cromwell
Thursday: Ranfurly, Omakau, Naseby, Ophir
Friday: Fruitlands, Roxburgh, Millers Flat, Ettrick

I don’t live in one of the collection areas. What can I do?

• Phone Ecowaste on 0800 432 692. Ecowaste can offer a private service in some areas.
• Take your rubbish to the nearest transfer station:

• Composting garden waste and kitchen scraps will remove a large part of your waste.
• Recycle - sorting makes disposal much cheaper - much of your waste can be dropped off free of charge at a Central Otago WasteBusters (03 448 9948) site.
• Consult the Otago Regional Council about farm landfills at www.orc.govt.nz (new window) and view ‘Waste Management on the Farm’ on that website.

My bin was not collected

Contact Ecowaste (0800 432 692 or 448 7134) as soon as possible. The truck may not have left your area.

You should check that your bin was not overweight (70kg maximum) or contained prohibited materials.

Consider the weather. Extreme ice and snow can delay or prevent collection.

Collections may be delayed if there was a public holiday earlier in the week. See the Council notice in the Central Otago News.

My bin has gone missing

Your bin belongs to Ecowaste. If it goes missing you should:

• phone the police and report it missing
• look around your area for it

Phone Council to arrange a replacement only if the bin disappeared when it was out for collection.

If the bin was stolen from your property phone Ecowaste (0800 432 692) to arrange a replacement. You will be charged for the replacement bin but you may be able to claim the cost on your insurance.

Rubbish was left in my bin

Ecowaste may have left a notice drawing your attention to inappropriate contents or weight. Other causes may be:

• long items jammed crosswise in the bin
• wet grass, paper or cardboard pressed into the bin. Please loosen for the next collection
• frozen wet refuse - keeping refuse dry in very cold weather helps.

What can and can’t I put in my bin?

• The bin service is for household waste only.
• Please tie refuse in bags so that it cannot blow out of the collection truck.
• Please minimise garden waste - it produces leachate at the landfill when mixed with house rubbish.
• Please do not put soil, stones, concrete or wire in your bin.
• Please do not put offal, infectious material and rotting material in your bin.
• Please do not put oil, paints and solvents in your bin.
• Please be certain your ashes are cold before bagging and placing them in your bin.

Industrial and commercial waste

The wheelie bin service is not intended for this waste. Council does not provide an industrial and commercial waste service. Please contact private service providers.

Recycling

Waste disposal is expensive - recycling can help keep costs down. To recycle waste it must be sorted. Please do not mix your waste.

Central Otago WasteBusters: Recycling in Central Otago

Central Otago WasteBusters carries out recycling operations in Central Otago.

Central Otago WasteBusters is an incorporated society run by volunteers and is independent of Council.

Central Otago WasteBusters kerbside collection

Recyclables can be put out for collection in Alexandra, Cromwell and Clyde by placing them beside your wheelie bin. The following can be recycled:

• newspapers, magazines, junk mail - tie in bundles or tie in supermarket bags, and place on top of bin
• cardboard cartons, boxes - flatten, tie in bundles (note: no cardboard that is waxed, lined with plastic or foil or has been contaminated with food scraps, please), and place on top of bin
• glass bottles and jars - rinse and place in bottom of recycling bin (note: no windscreens, crockery, ornaments, light bulbs, mirrors, broken glass or window glass, please)
• aluminium and tin cans - rinse, flatten and place in supermarket bags
• all plastics numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 - remove lids, rinse, flatten and place in bottom of recycling bin 
• clean plastic bags or plastic wrap - place in one bag and put in bin

Central Otago WasteBusters drop-off centres

Recycling Park, Boundary Road, Alexandra (03 448 9948). You can drop off all recyclables including bottles, metal and reusable items at the following times.

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm

Saturday 10.30am to 4.00pm

Closed Sunday

Central Otago WasteBusters container drop-off depots

These are located in Alexandra** (Boundary Road), Roxburgh (Ferry Road), Ranfurly (Charlemont Street), Cromwell**(refuse transfer station), Tarras (Tarras school), Omakau (next to Hickeys yard), Naseby**(Leven St), Oturehua and Patearoa.

**accept glass

Please respect local residents and keep noise levels down outside of normal working hours.  Thank you.

Green waste

Green waste is plant material and may include soil that is attached to plant roots. It does not include stumps, logs and branches greater than 100 mm in diameter.

Green waste can be deposited at the Council’s transfer stations in Alexandra, Cromwell, Roxburgh and Ranfurly. The following charges apply:

• Car boot load - FREE
• Vans, utes and single axle trailers - $5
• Tandem axle trailers - $15

Clean fill

Clean fill is natural materials such as clay, soil and rock and such other materials as concrete, brick or demolition products that are free of combustible or organic materials and are therefore not subject to biological or chemical breakdown.

Wood, metal asphalt and mixed demolition waste are not accepted as clean fill.

Clean fill can be deposited by arrangement at Alexandra and Cromwell transfer stations (Boundary Road, Alexandra and Barry Avenue, Cromwell) - costs apply.

Environmental protection

Poor waste disposal can cause many sorts of environmental deterioration. Sorting waste, recycling and correct disposal minimises problems and makes Central Otago a healthier and more attractive place to live.

If you are concerned about poor waste disposal, phone the Otago Regional Council pollution hot line on 0800 800 033.

Illegal dumping of rubbish

If you see this happening, please record descriptions of person(s) i.e. male/female, clothing, vehicle registration, rego number and colour of car, exact location of rubbish dumping & how many offenders. Phone with all of these details to any Council office at any time.

Lets be proactive in keeping our Community rubbish free!

Alexandra 03 440 0056
Cromwell 03 445 0211
Ranfurly 03 444 9170
Roxburgh 03 446 8105

Litter

Council maintains and services litter bins in public areas. Litter bins are not for domestic waste disposal.

Hazardous waste

It is the responsibility of the hazardous material holder to safely dispose of hazardous wastes. Hazardous materials include explosive or corrosive materials, agricultural chemicals, infectious materials and the like. Specialist disposal companies can be found in the telephone directory.

Wheelie bins and transfer stations must not be used for hazardous waste disposal.

The Occupational Safety and Health Service and Hazardous Substances and New Organisms websites can provide specific information. (www.osh.dol.govt.nz and www.hsno.govt.nz)

The nearest place for safe disposal of hazardous wastes is located at Green Island, Dunedin.  Contact 0800 4DELTA (0800 433 582)

Where does Central Otago waste go?

Waste from transfer stations and wheelie bins is compacted at Alexandra and Cromwell and taken to a lined landfill at Victoria Flats (between Cromwell and Queenstown) where it is further compacted. This landfill is designed to minimise pollution.

Saving money with waste disposal

Recycling is the road to future waste disposal. Increasing energy costs and shortages are expected to make recycling essential.

Sorting is the key to recycling. Unsorted waste is likely to become very expensive to dispose of.

Composting and mulching of garden waste helps build up soils that are often damaged by poor use.

Waste costs require everyone to reduce, reuse and recycle to bring costs down. For more information refer to www.greens.org.nz and www.reducerubbish.govt.nz (new windows).

Waste costs: rating implications

Council spends money on a number of waste activities, namely:

• wheelie bins
• transfer stations
• grants for recycling
• litter bins
• managing closed landfills
• removing inappropriately dumped materials

Council recovers costs through user charges at transfer stations, and rating for wheelie bins and for other waste-related activities where users cannot be specifically identified and charged.

Composting

What is Composting?
Composting is the natural process in which micro-organisms convert organic waste (leaves, tea bags, vegetable peelings, grass clippings, cardboard, egg cartons, twigs) into a soil conditioner (or rich humus).

Why compost?
It is a simple, cost effective and natural way to recycle your kitchen and garden green waste materials.  When compost is used on your gardens the end result is an improvement in the nutrient levels of the soil, as well as to the soil structure.  It prevents erosion and improves the water holding capacity of your soil.  It also reduces the amount of green waste going to landfill.

The Compost Recipe

Greens + Browns + Water + Air = Compost

The key to composting is to keep the micro-organisms that process the ‘waste’ healthy – they need food, air, moisture and warmth (just like us).

Greens – are nitrogen rich materials such as kitchen scraps, vegetable peelings, tea bags and leaves, coffee grounds, grass clippings, soft garden debris, hair, fur, sheep or horse manure, sea weed (materials that rot away quickly).

Browns – are carbon rich materials such as paper, sawdust, straw, leaves, cereal boxes, cardboard, napkins, paper towels, tree clippings, vacuum cleaner dust, egg shells, wood ash, woody materials (materials that are tough and dry).

What to keep out of the your compost - meat, grease, oils, fat, dairy products, bones, inert materials (glass, plastic, metal), cat and dog manure, toxic materials (treated wood), coal dust.

Water (Moisture)
Compost should be moist like a wrung out sponge.  If you find the compost is too dry, add a little water. If it is too wet add some dry brown materials (i.e. paper, sawdust, leaves).

Air
Like all living creatures, micro-organisms need air to live.  It is important to allow air into the bin to aid composting.  For example, add scrunched up paper, egg cartons, or toilet paper rolls to make air pockets, or dig your compost over using a garden fork.

Getting Started
Compost can be in a free standing pile or in a bin/container.  You can make a bin yourself, at little cost, from wood, bricks, concrete blocks or other recyclable materials. Alternatively, commercial compost bins are available at your local hardware or gardening store.

Making the Compost

• Place your compost bin in a sheltered spot that gets partial sun and has good drainage.  Preferably sitting directly on the soil.
• Encourage the earthworms  into the heap by forking over the area where the bin will be placed.  This will also help with drainage.
• Start with a layer of coarse material (i.e. branches, twigs) to help with drainage and air flow.
• Put in a bucket of ‘green’ material (grass clippings, vegetable peelings, kitchen scraps) and a bucket of ‘brown’ material (straw, paper, leaves).  Add a little water if the materials are dry.
• Mix, stir, fluff after every few additions.
• Within a day or two, the heap will heat up – marking the start of the composting process.
• Keep building the compost heap to the desired size and cover with soil or plastic sheeting to retain the warmth and moisture.
• Leave the compost to mature.

Turning
Making compost is simple as all the really hard work is done by the micro-organisms.  However, composting does take time.  Generally it will take between 6-12 months to get usable compost.  Alternatively with a bit more effort on your part, turning the heap will reduce the time to 3-4 months.

For best results experts recommend turning the compost heap once every 4-6 weeks.  Turning should be done in a manner that allows all the material from the sides moved into the new centre.

If you do not want to turn your compost – use only the best composted material from the centre of your pile on the garden when you need it, and use the other remaining material from the sides as the basis to build your next compost heap.

Using your Compost
Your compost is ready when it looks like potting mix (dark brown in colour with an earthy smell).  It maybe lumpier than the potting mix from your local gardening store, with bits of twig and egg shells in it but, don’t worry, it will still be just as effective.  Simply sieve out the larger items and return them to the compost bin for further processing.

Your compost can be used for new gardens, flowerbeds, mulch, around trees, to enrich borders, as potting mix to feed the lawn and for your vegetable garden.

Agrecovery

Participating in Agrecovery and recycling your agrichemical containers is a much more sustainable way of dealing with your rural plastic waste. Better for the environment and better than burning or dumping them on the farm. On farm plastic waste is a persistent and growing problem for farmers and growers throughout New Zealand and we need a sustainable solution.

Check out the programme.

Links to key documents (pdf format)

Solid Waste Minimisation Strategy (363kb)

Useful Websites

http://www.sustainableliving.org.nz/

Everybody knows our global environment is suffering and most people, given the choice, want to do something constructive about it. But where do you begin, locally? How can one person even make a difference?
We can show you how.

The Sustainable Living programme is a practical way of making small changes to limit your environmental impact at home. It’s your opportunity to step up, do your bit for the environment and find you can have fun doing so.  Courses and more information available at COREAP 448 6115 or 0800 267327.

http://www.sustainability.govt.nz/

New Zealanders are taking up the sustainability challenge. It’s the smart thing to do. Actions like switching off the lights when leaving a room, walking to work, and installing insulation save money, improve fitness and protect our beautiful environment.  911 Kiwis have committed to make a difference by taking 49,511 sustainability steps in their ‘Next Step’ plans.

Living sustainably means living smarter. This site will help you reduce your impact on the environment and save money, without compromising your lifestyle. You'll find useful tips on how best to use energy and water, and what to do with your rubbish.  The site provides advice, links, a discussion forum and competitions on the key elements of living sustainably: rubbish, water, energy, building, transport and climate change.

http://www.reducerubbish.govt.nz/

New Zealanders throw away 3.6 million tonnes of rubbish every year. If we were to measure this in 9 tonne buses it would equate to 400,000 buses of rubbish - that's more than 1000 buses every day.
The crazy thing is that around 65 percent of our "rubbish" could be recycled or composted instead. While the government is working on ways to address New Zealands rubbish problem, at the end of the day it's what individuals do that will really make the difference.

http://www.4million.org.nz/

This site has been developed by the Ministry for the Environment for New Zealand’s Four Million Careful Owners. It aims to give New Zealanders insights into issues such as climate change, water, rubbish and other environmental issues that we need to be aware of. It also provides a wide range of links to regional councils and other New Zealand community organisations, so that you can find out how to make a positive difference to the environment in your area.

http://www.cro.org.nz/

Community Recyclers Otago
This site has been created to provide information to help the people of Otago work alongside their community recycling groups. The site is primarily a portal to further information on the Internet covering the subjects of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Redesign as well as providing localised information for the community groups.

http://www.ronz.org.nz/

Recycling Operators New Zealand
RONZ seeks to assist with the education of the general public, industry and all levels of government about the opportunities to reduce the impact of communities, manufacturers and personal consumption on the environment by simply intercepting discarded goods and materials before they are wasted into landfill and diverting these into a beneficial opportunity.

RONZ is actively involved in local and national issues as an advocate and counsel. RONZ lobbies for and promotes recycling, resource efficiency and waste minimisation in New Zealand. RONZ seeks involvement with a wide range of operators and organisations throughout New Zealand in order that the common objectives for waste minimisation can be identified and targeted in the most sustainable and beneficial manner. You can download images of recycling symbols to set up recycling facilities in office/home/club etc.

http://www.zerowaste.co.nz/

Zero Waste New Zealand Trust is a charitable organisation and has dedicated its effort towards ‘Zero Waste and Sustainable New Zealand’ for nearly 10 years, funded mainly by The Tindall Foundation.
Zero Waste New Zealand Limited is a  waste minimisation consultancy which wasestablished in2005as a charitable company to financially support the Zero Waste Trust.  Since its establishmentwe have influenced and encouraged many people in New Zealand and overseas to think of rubbish as a resource, and on actions that lead to a sustainable society.

Zero Waste New Zealand Trust is a charitable organisation and has dedicated its effort towards ‘Zero Waste and Sustainable New Zealand’ for nearly 10 years, funded mainly by The Tindall Foundation.
Zero Waste New Zealand Limited is a  waste minimisation consultancy which wasestablished in2005as a charitable company to financially support the Zero Waste Trust.  Since its establishmentwe have influenced and encouraged many people in New Zealand and overseas to think of rubbish as a resource, and on actions that lead to a sustainable society.