Supply issues delay $1.2m commercial waste sorting centre
Supply problems have delayed the delivery of New Plymouth’s $1.2 million commercial waste sorting centre.
The Colson Rd facility will divert 5000 tonnes of dry materials from across the region away from landfill in its first year, so they can be recycled or composted.
The centre, which will create six jobs, was to have been opened before the end of June, with the Ministry for the Environment putting in $420,000 and the New Plymouth District Council the remainder.
Construction is now expected to be completed by the end of July, a report to the March meeting of the Taranaki Regional Council solid waste management committee explained.
New Plymouth District Council manager resource recovery, Kimberley Hope, said: ‘‘Supply chain issues have resulted in construction delays, but we expect the project to be completed within budget.
‘‘We’ll be able to confirm an opening date later in the year.
‘‘When the facility opens, we’ll first be accepting materials from larger operators like skip bin companies so that we can bed-in our processes, then we’ll open up to other businesses such as builders and construction companies.’’
The sorting centre will be built on the site of the current transfer station, which will be moved.
Meanwhile, New Plymouth, South Taranaki and Stratford district councils are continuing to investigate building and operating a facility to process domestic, commercial and industrial organic waste.
At present, only New Plymouth collects and disposes of food waste, but has to truck it north to Hampton Downs on a 586km round trip.
Earlier this year, seven of the region’s eight iwi, apart from Ngāti Tama, took part in a background hui on building the composting facility, and a feasibility study is to be carried out, the regional council was told.
‘‘A draft of this report will go back to the iwi and hapū engagement group for feedback before the report is finalised, and will then go through the formal committee processes at each council.’’
The South Taranaki District Council is leading the project.