The Wanaka recycling contract has been awarded to a new contractor.

Today's decision by the Queenstown Lakes District Council Infrastructure Services Committee awards the contract (six years with a possible extension of up to three years) to Smart Environmental Limited (SEL) over two other tenders, including Wanaka Wastebusters. 

In its continuing drive to deliver value for money to ratepayers, the QLDC Deputy Mayor and Infrastructure Chairman Lyal Cocks said the decision was difficult but, ultimately, clear cut.

“Wastebusters is an institution in Wanaka and long may that continue.  But the Council has a responsibility to make decisions based on more than just what the heart dictates.  It’s a tough decision but it’s the appropriate decision for the whole district,” he said.

SEL already held the processing contract for recycling in the Wakatipu Basin, utilising an automated sorting plant at the Wakatipu Recycling Centre. The company had the capacity to extend its services to include Wanaka recyclables. Through a number of efficiencies, SEL’s contract price more than halved the existing recycling budgets, while still delivering on the environmental attributes embedded in the tender procedure.

“The cost of Wanaka’s recycling is not assigned to Wanaka alone. That cost is borne by all ratepayers, district-wide. Today’s decision means that over the life of the contract there is a saving to ratepayers of $3.9m.  That’s value for money for the community that Council simply could not overlook,” Mr Cocks said.

Some of the attributes included in the successful SEL tender were:
• Re-use of the existing crates plus one new crate to allow glass sorting at the kerb.
• Glass colour separated at the kerbside and processed back into glass bottles - 100% recycling.
• Vehicles to be run on bio-diesel or be Euro 4 engines (diesel efficient and low emission engine).
• Planting of native trees to offset the carbon emissions inherent in the transport of recyclables from the Wanaka Ward to the SEL processing plant in the Wakatipu.
 
Despite losing the recycling contract, Mr Cocks said it was important to remember that other streams of income remained open to Wanaka Wastebusters. The Council hoped Wastebusters would continue to deliver other work including:
 
• Commercial recycling collections in Wanaka.
• Council education contract to schools and home composting.
• E-cycle service.
• Wanaka Wastebusters re-use shop and yard.
• Environmental campaigns such as ‘unpackit’.
 
“The Council will continue to support Wanaka Wastebusters as a committed champion of the sustainability cause,” Mr Cocks said.

It’s an acknowledged leader in its field having pioneered recycling for more than a decade in this district.

“I’m confident that Wastebusters will continue to be innovators,” Mr Cocks said.

Addendum : The agenda item relating to this issue can be viewed here. 

ENDS
For further information please contact Lyal Cocks 0274 381 443 or QLDC Solid Waste Manager Stefan Borowy 03 441 0499.

By: Jo Blick