Carterton District Council

Location: Wairarapa, North Island
Population: 6887

Carterton markets itself as the Daffodil capital of the world. The town boasts a feast of great cafes under the flower basketed eaves of its historic buildings and offers an atmosphere where people can walk to work, the library, the children's playground and the police station and also the well patronised train station.

The nearby settlement of Gladstone is known for its goat-milk cheeses which are reknown nationwide and the district hosts the Industrial estate it shares with Masterton, 7km north on the banks of the Waingawa river. Timber milling and processing of the significant radiata forests throughout the Wairarapa form the main industry supported by 2 large fertillizer suppliers and a wide variety of agricultural and horticultural activities.

Carterton District sits between Masterton District to the North and South Wairarapa on the Wellington side.

In 1996, Carterton joined Masterton and South Wairarapa District Councils to form Waste Management Wairarapa (WMW) to manage the Wairarapa's waste under a single organisation. Carterton Chairs and hosts all WMW meetings. A long term Solid Waste Disposal Strategy was drawn up and in 2000 and soon after the first Wairarapa Solid Waste Plan was established. This is pressently being revised and should be updated by the end of 2003.

In 2001 Carterton built a quality new Transfer Station on top of the previous landfill at considerable financial expense to the people. Council joined the Zero Waste cause and Carterton became one of the first Districts in the country to implement the Ministry for the Environment's Full Cost Accounting principles for landfills in September 2002. This has seen an increase in mixed waste prices and the establishment of significant price reductions for recyclable loads and an even cheaper fixed price of $5 for loads of clean greenwaste being taken to the Transfer station at Dalefield Rd.

The Council provides free recycling at a well patronised drop off centre (improved during 2003)in the centre of town while Dalefield Rd provides a more comprehensive recovery operation which includes:

• Separation and shredding of green waste
• Collecting and crushing of derelict car bodies
• Recycling of glass bottles
• Recycling of plastics 1 & 2
• Recycling of Nickel Based batteries
• Recycling of cardboard and paper
• Recycling of whiteware and other metal
• 2nd hand goods operation.

Presently most of Cartertons recyclables (paper and plastic) are processed at Masterton's Nursery Rd site but glass and significant amounts of cardboard and glass are processed by an independent Carterton recycling company.

During 2002, Carterton took on sharing a Waste Minimisation Officer (Phil Hancock) with Masterton District. Since then graphic RONZ/ MfE style signage has been introduced at both Council's recycling facilities and also at schools and community facilities. In late 2002, a large survey (1500 forms) was undertaken throughout all transfer stations and landfills in both districts and a comprehensive model of the Solid Waste Stream across most of the Wairarapa was built.

In 2003, during the Reduce-Your-Rubbish Campaign, Council introduced recycling facilities for rechargeable batteries and in October 2003, Carterton's Kerbside Recycling Scheme will commence. Final details are presently being worked on to have excess paint become recyclable and it is expected that Expanded Polystyrene recycling facilities will be in place before the end of year. 2003 has also seen the introduction of a private sector company establish itself to recycle used oil filters.

Watch this space for the future of Wairarapa's Waste Management.

Contact Phil Hancock, Waste Minimisation Officer on 06 370 5083 or email

phil@mstn.govt.nz  or check the website www.cdc.govt.nz .