Household Waste Survey

Should there be a Council-led kerbside rubbish and recycling collection service for urban Whanganui residents? A household waste survey has been delivered to 18,000 households in urban Whanganui to find out what residents think.

This survey closed at 5.00pm on Friday, 9 November 2018.

If you live in the urban area of Whanganui, you should have received a survey, which was delivered on Thursday, 11 October 2018. 

Providing kerbside collection services would support Whanganui residents to recycle more and send less waste to landfill. It would also help to address gaps where these services are not currently being provided and encourage better waste minimisation within households.

If you have not received it, please ring 349 0001 or email stuart.hylton@whanganui.govt.nz

Why can't I do the survey online? 

Urban residents who receive the household waste survey in the mail will see a link in the accompanying letter. If you want to respond online instead of filling out the paper-based survey, type the link into your address bar. 

We have not provided a shareable link. This is so that only one survey is filled out per urban household, which will provide us with the data we need. 

Three options will be presented in the survey. 

Option A: Status Quo

Under this proposal the current private bin and bag rubbish collection and recycling drop-off services would continue. 

The Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre would still be available for people to use. 

Cost: This option would not result in any cost changes as kerbside rubbish collection would remain "user pays" through pre-paid stickers/bags or the existing wheelie bin collection services.  

Advantages

  • Whanganui householders are used to this option
  • It will have no impact on rates 
  • This option ensures the community still get to utilise the successful Resource Recovery Centre 
  • The user pays ‘pay as you throw’ waste services currently provided through bags/ stickers/wheelie bins, will be retained  

Disadvantages

  • This option does not make it easy for people to recycle and reduce household rubbish
  • It generally means most people will pay more for their kerbside rubbish collection service than what is offered in option C 
  • Private waste companies may cease to collect rubbish bags

Option B 

Under this proposal, the Council would provide households with a rates funded kerbside recycling collection.  

Urban households would be provided with a 240 litre wheelie bin for recycling products, collected at the kerbside fortnightly as well as a 60 litre crate for glass, collected fortnightly on alternate weeks. Households would continue with their existing arrangements for disposal of their general rubbish

The Resource Recovery Centre would still be available for people to use. 

Cost: This option would be paid for via a targeted rate applied to all urban households at around $100 per year, which is about $2.00 per week.Advantages

Advantages

  • Will make it easier for people to recycle and significantly increase the amount of product recycled

  • Meets a need and expectation from our community that recycling should be collected from the kerbside 

  • Householders will have the option to decrease waste which means less waste to landfill 

  • The Council will be showing leadership  in our community by managing our  district’s rubbish sufficiently, protecting our environment and offering a high  standard of living

  • Encourages other waste minimisation initiatives and could be the forerunner for further kerbside collection services 

  • Results in a lower Council rate increase than option C

  • Allows householders to save money  by downsizing their user pays waste collection bin

 Disadvantages 

  • A rate increase of $100per household per year for urban households (about $2.00 per week) 
  • All households in the collection area will be rated for the service whether they participate or not
  • The proposed service might not suit everyone  
  • Does not drive the environmental user behaviours that option C does

Option C 

Under this proposal the Council would provide urban households with a rates funded 80 litre wheelie bin for the weekly collection of household rubbish and a 240 litre wheelie bin for fortnightly collection of recycling products. 

This would include a 60 litre crate for glass collected fortnightly on alternate weeks. The Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre would still be available for people to use. 

Cost: This option would be paid for via a targeted rate applied to urban households at around $220 per year, which is about $4.20 per week. 

Advantages

  • Easier to recycle; significantly increases the number of people recycling; meets an expectation from our community 
  • Maximises recycling capability and limits the amount of rubbish that can be thrown out which delivers better environmental behaviour and outcomes
  • The Council will be showing leadership in  our community by managing our district's rubbish sufficiently, protecting our  environment and offering a high standard  of living 
  • Aligns Whanganui kerbside services with other main metropolitan areas
  • For most households it will deliver greater savings for rubbish disposal than option B.
  • Should result in less 'fly tipping' as  household rubbish and recycling is collected through rates

Disadvantages

  • A rate increase of $220 per household per year for urban households (about $4.20 per week) 
  • All households in the collection area will be rated for the services whether they participate or not
  • The proposed services might not suit everyone
  • Will result in more bins on the kerbside

What happens next? 

Your feedback will be collated and presented to the Council for a decision on how urban recycling and waste services are delivered to be consider as part of next year's Annual Plan.