Ōpōtiki District Council is currently consulting on its draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP), setting out how the community should manage and minimise waste in the district.
Council’s Operations Manager for Solid Waste is Anthony Kirikiri. He said that the formal consultation on the draft WMMP was a good opportunity for the community to have their say more generally on rubbish and recycling and what’s working and what isn’t.
“It is a hot topic in the community because it is a rare day that someone doesn’t want to talk to me about the size of our rubbish bins or the old rubbish bag solution, or whether those not on the urban collection route should pay for the RRCs. People feel really strongly about this!
“To do a WMMP we have to formally consult with our community. So the first part of the questions we are asking are all about the Plan – our priorities and activities for the coming six years.
“But I also want to capture some of the wider thoughts on rubbish and recycling in the district, so there are questions about things like bin sizes and greenwaste. And I know people will have plenty to say on those topics,” Mr Kirikiri said.
Mr Kirikiri reiterated that it is a formal process so the submissions are public and people may want to speak at hearings. It also means Facebook comments and informal feedback doesn’t form part of the process.
“Facebook comments are a great way for people to talk about it and share their views and inform others, but they don’t make part of the formal consultation process. So I do encourage people to go to the website and make a formal submission so that they can be part of this important discussion,” Mr Kirikiri said.
Consultation is open until 23 May. Submissions can be made online at Hono Mai, by email, post or dropped into council offices.
