What's this talk about rubbish?
Council is required to provide solid waste services to the Kawerau community and to have an operative waste management and minimisation plan (under the Local Government Act of 2002 and the Waste Minimisation Act of 2008)
The overall aim is to minimise the presence of refuse within the District and to minimise the amount of local waste that goes to landfill.
In the long term, Council wants to work towards a circular economy where minimal unrecoverable waste is generated. This is a significant goal and will require a long-term commitment to waste minimisation. This plan is a further step building on the existing waste minimisation plan’s goals and objectives.
Council plans to make a real and measurable improvement to the way its waste is managed. We need to prepare for ways in doing this while empowering our community to shift its way of thinking and doing, to encourage waste minimisation, resource recovery and avoid creating waste in the first place.
Council cannot solve the problem of waste minimisation alone and will action this waste minimisation plan in partnership with our neigbours (other Territorial Authorities) and work with our communities to take the next step on our journey to zero waste.
Key actions of the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan
- Develop educational material.
- Retain kerbside collection.
- Continue to operate a transfer station.
- Collect residual waste for disposal to landfill.
- Process recyclable materials for disposal or sale.
- Improve quality of recyclable collection and storage for processing.
- Collect litter in the district.
- Advise public how to dispose of hazardous and e-wastes.
- Work with the community to achieve waste minimisation goals.
What waste services are currently available in Kawerau
Council provides green waste and recycling collection services from all households and businesses, drop off services at the Kawerau Transfer Station and processing sites, and processed solid waste sales services. Providing this service requires effective, efficient and sustainable infrastructure and plant, in order to collect, store, sort, process and sell reusable products, and transport of remaining materials to be processed elsewhere.
Kerbside collection services:
- Green waste collection service each fortnight for all compostable organic waste (not food waste)
- Recycling crate collection service each week for clean, unbroken glass, plastics No. 1 and 2, 5, paper and cardboard, and all metal, tin, aluminium containers
- Refuse collection each week of refuse or non-recoverable waste that goes to landfill
Transfer Station drop-off service allows the community to drop off:
- All general household waste
- Recycling
- Green waste
- Wood, topsoil, other soils, concrete, tyres, oil and whiteware
Products that can be purchased from the Transfer Station:
- Processed green waste, as either mulch or compost
- Processed wood chip
- Crushed concrete,
- Topsoil and clean fill
NOTE: Hazardous materials such as, asbestos, chemicals, bio-waste and large items such as cars and tractor tyres are not accepted at the transfer station.
The Transfer Station is open 7 days a week, from 12 pm to 4 pm. The facility is closed on Christmas day with reduced hours during staff annual events.
Bio-solids from the district generated at the wastewater treatment plant are processed through worm farming at the plant in the Rapid Infiltration Basins or RIBs. The resulting product is blended with processed green waste and used as a soil amendment.
Related Content
Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2025 (Statement of Proposal)
Kawerau District Waste Assessment 2025
Former Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2012
Have your say
You can make a formal submission, which will be tabled with the Councillors and be considered in the decision-making process. Have your say by 20 July 2025.
You can present your feedback to the Council at the Hearing on Wednesday 30 July 2025.
Facebook submissions if you wish to make a formal submission, you will need to do so via messenger or inbox.
Email submissions@kaweraudc.govt.nz
Drop in the hard copy submission form from this consultation document to the Council Offices, isite or library weekdays.
Post the submission form to us: Chief Executive Officer, Kawerau District Council, Private Bag 1004, Kawerau 3169
Online use the submission form below:
