Xtreme Zero Waste in Raglan carried out a trial food waste recycling and research project in 2016. 100 homes in Raglan West took part in the trial. Food waste recycling will be expanded soon to the 2000 Raglan properties that currently receive a kerbside refuse and recycling collection.
Associate Minister for the Environment Scott Simpson visited Xtreme Zero Waste last week to check out the trial. While there he announced a Waste Minimisation Fund grant of $150,000 for the food waste recycling expansion that will allow implementation of food waste collection, diversion and composting services in Raglan.
Xtreme Zero Waste, Waikato District Council and the Ministry for the Environment have teamed up to deliver the service, a first for the Waikato, coming in 2017. Diverted food waste will be made into high quality compost in Raglan at Xtreme Zero Waste that will be available for purchase.
Xtreme Zero Waste relationship manager Rick Thorpe says food waste is the biggest component of kerbside waste going to landfill. This creates greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change.
“This is why food waste has become one of the most important waste streams to remove from landfill,” says Mr Thorpe.
Raglan currently diverts 75 per cent, by volume, of its total solid waste.
According to Mr Thorpe, diverting food waste could reduce waste to landfill by up to 10% by volume and up to 20% by weight.
This diversion should save money in the cost of transport of Raglan’s waste to landfill.
Other advantages of a food waste collection are fewer bad odours from rubbish bags and fewer instances of animals getting into rubbish bags left on streets for collection.
Waikato District Council General Manager Service Delivery Tim Harty said, “This is a great example of how local collaboration can create valuable new services that will reduce the amount of organic waste ending up in Waikato landfills.”
Funding is available to deliver the food waste collection service to the Raglan community for a year. The service will be reviewed and consultation will be carried out with the Raglan community through the Long Term Plan process to consider the rating implications of continuing the service over and above that year.
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New Zealand families waste about $560 each year on food which is thrown uneaten into the rubbish bin that is equivalent to 213 jumbo jets of food.
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We throw away over 122,547 tonnes of food a year – enough to feed around 262,917 people, or the population of the Bay of Plenty for 12 months
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This results in 122,000 tonnes of edible food going to landfill and generating greenhouse gases.
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In total, this adds up to a staggering $872 million for the whole country.
Congratulations and great work Xtreme Zero Waste & WDC.