Waste disposal levy increases – what is it for and what it does it mean?

juliette@marketelements.co.nz (Juliette Richards) — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 00:52:48 GMT

Read on to find out how the increase in the levy will affect you.

From the 1st July 2021 and we will see the first increase of the waste disposal levy. This levy is currently set at $10 per tonne on all waste that is sent to landfill. The purpose of this increase in the levy is to encourage New Zealanders to be more responsible about the waste they produce and to find more efficient and better ways to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. The government has proposed that the increased revenue gathered from the waste disposal levy will be used for resource recovery and waste minimisation.

Read on to find out how the increase in the levy will affect you.

How will the waste disposal levy increase affect me?

It will be up to the disposal facility operators to pay this levy based on the amount of waste that is disposed of their facility. However, they are likely to choose to pass this on to the waste producers including households and businesses. The Ministry for Environment estimates that when fully implemented the increase in the levy could increase the cost of the weekly kerbside rubbish collection by 25c, depending on individual council decisions. According to the Invercargill City Council the increase in the waste disposal levy has the potential to increase household waste by $4 to $30 per annum by 2023.

Learn more about how to reduce your household waste.

Who else will be affected?

The construction and demolition industry is one of the country’s largest waste producers by weight. It makes up about half of all waste going to landfill. The current landfill levy only applies to municipal waste (about 45% of waste to landfill), but from 1st July 2022 there will be a fee of $20 per tonne on all waste from construction and demolition.

What are the Waste Disposal Levy increases?

The waste disposal levy is introduced under the Waste Management Act 2008. It is currently set at $10 per tonne on all waste sent to landfill. From 2021 this rate will progressively increase. This increase will start for municipal (Class 1) landfills to $20 per tonne on 1st July 2021.

The confirmed class and increase in the levy are outlined in the table below:

Find out more

For more information about the waste disposal levy.

If you have any questions about how the waste levy disposal will affect your skip bin hire give us a call .

7 quick and easy tips to reduce your household waste

juliette@marketelements.co.nz (Juliette Richards) — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 00:52:57 GMT

With the proposed increase in the waste disposal levy we decided it was time to look at how we can reduce our household waste.

A faster pace of living has led to us demanding convenience in all aspects of our lives, from the food we eat and the clothes we wear to investing in emerging technologies. Just about everything we consume in the modern world increases our waste. In New Zealand it is estimated that we 15.5 million tonnes of waste each year – that’s 3.2kg for every Kiwi. And according to recycle.co.nz we only recycle about 28% of this waste.

With the proposed increase in the waste disposal levy we decided it was time to look at how we can reduce our household waste. Read on for our top 7 tips.

Reduce Food Scraps

According to lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz New Zealand households throw away around 157,389 tonnes of food a year. That’s the equivalent of 271 jumbo jets full and with an estimated value of $1.17 billion. That amount of food could feed the population of Dunedin for nearly 3 years.

Here are some ways you can reduce your food waste:

• Start planning ahead and only buy what your family needs for the week. This also has the added advantage of reducing the food bill! Buying food in bulk can reduce waste and cost.

• Use leftovers to make more meals. The Lovefoodhatewaste Facebook has some great ideas.

Start composting

You can further reduce the amount of waste you produce by composting. Not only that, you can use the compost around your garden and add further nutrients to your soil.

You can compost:

• Food scraps except meat, bones and oils

• Garden waste

• Tea and coffee grounds

• Tissues and paper towels

• Cardboard and paper

• Vacuum dust

Learn more about composting .

Invest in storage containers

Using storage containers will help you to extend the life of your food – particularly things like cereals, rice and pasta. Storage containers also help with the management of leftovers and the storage of food when you buy in bulk. When you buy storage containers think about buying containers that will stand the test of time, be freezer and microwave proof too.

Stop buying water bottles

According to Safebottles.co.nz we use about 168 plastic bottles each per year and around 78% of these end up in landfill. It takes approximately 700 years for a plastic water bottle ot decompose. By remembering to take a reusable drink bottle full of water with you everywhere you go, you can not only go a long way to reducing household waste, you could also save yourself around $550 per year.

Reduce the number of waste bins available in the house

This might seem like a silly idea but it’s very easy when you are busy to not think carefully about your waste and quickly throw away that envelope or even your plastic bottle. By reducing the number of waste bins available in the house, ideally to just one in the kitchen, you are forced to move around the house to dispose of your rubbish and this gives you time to think carefully about what you put in the bin. Can what you are throwing away be repurposed, sold on buy and sell groups or via a garage sale, or even taken to the local op shop?

Reduce the amount of packaging you buy

Next time you go to the supermarket think wisely and choose food with little or no packaging, such as fruit and vegetables. Hand picking your fruit and vegetables, rather than choosing a pre-packed box, will not only reduce the waste, but also allows you to buy the exact amount you need.

Think also about:

• Buying second-hand clothing, that was not wrapped in plastic to get it to the store

• Buying take outs with sustainable packaging

• Taking your re-usable coffee cup to the café

• Buying in bulk, and then separating into smaller sizes at home. For example, chips for school lunchboxes

• Use reusable bags for all your shopping – not just the supermarket

Switch to paperless billing

Account statements and utility bills pile up at our door. Spend one evening sorting moving everything to electronic and mark your calendar once a month to pay all your bills. While you are at it, put a note on your letterbox requesting no flyers!

Household clean out

Even if you manage to do all of these things, there may will be a time when you need a skip. If you need advice on what can or can’t go in your skip or how to dispose of your rubbish, then give us a call . We are always happy to talk trash!

Easy Bins Blog | Information about Skip Bin Hire

Waste disposal levy increases – what is it for and what it does it mean?

Read on to find out how the increase in the levy will affect you.

How will the waste disposal levy increase affect me?

Who else will be affected?

What are the Waste Disposal Levy increases?

Find out more

7 quick and easy tips to reduce your household waste

With the proposed increase in the waste disposal levy we decided it was time to look at how we can reduce our household waste.

Reduce Food Scraps

Start composting

Invest in storage containers

Stop buying water bottles

Reduce the number of waste bins available in the house

Reduce the amount of packaging you buy

Switch to paperless billing

Household clean out