Composting scheme seeks council support to grow

Nelson’s community composting scheme is asking for Nelson City Council funding to expand the service.

Community Compost founder Ben Bushell said in Friday’s public forum he was seeking the council’s support, as it was difficult to secure funding from investors for a startup.

‘‘The council must seek to reduce waste to landfill and waste in general; they have a budget to do this. They can choose to subsidise composting, [or] they could also choose to fund our pilot facility and begin composting for up to 1000 homes. This all meets the [waste management] plan’s criteria.’’

Bushell started the initiative last December, and it is now at full capacity. The number of collections has grown from 10 residential homes to five businesses and 24 homes, with a total of 400kg of food waste collected per week.

Bushell said he started a collaboration with Waste-No-More– Zero Waste Nelson Whakatu¯ , which manages the waste at several council events. He had received over a tonne of compostable packaging over the summer months. ‘‘We are already receiving bookings for this summer’s events.’’

The food waste is being composted without additives, sprays or chemicals on a fourmonth cycle, initially at a site in Lower Moutere, which the venture quickly outgrew.

Bushell currently uses the Brook Valley community gardens, but has found himself having to say no to new collections due to space restrictions.

He has designed a high-tech composting facility that could take waste from up to 1000 homes, composting up to 500 tonnes every year. It would include a variety of machines, including a shredder, conveyer belts and a bucket washing station, but would be small enough to ‘‘go anywhere – probably an industrial area’’, he said.

His design meant the waste would be handled and composted inside a vessel, minimising the risk to workers with regards to pathogens and harmful bacteria.

Councillor Matt Lawrey said there were 21,000 homes in Nelson, and Bushell’s scheme would only be able to support 1000 homes. ‘‘What if council was able to provide you a site and possibly power, that sort of support rather than ratepayers’ money up front?’’ he asked.

Bushell said this would ‘‘definitely’’ make a difference, as the biggest challenges at the moment were space and the way the waste was handled.

Bushell said he would also be able to accept compostable packaging if the new structure was built, from both commercial and residential addresses.

Cr Mike Rutledge said the scheme looked ‘‘really interesting’’.

Bushell said he was after a collaboration with the council in the form of a site and funding to build the pilot facility he had designed.