Regional Waste Management on the West Coast
The West Coast Regional Council is a member of the West Coast Waste Management Working Group (WWG), which promotes integrated regional waste management, including waste minimisation and recycling initiatives. The WWG was formed in 1999 and consists of staff and councillor representatives from the regional council, the three district council's and DOC. The group aims for efficiency and consistency between the local authorities in managing regional waste issues in our relatively isolated, low rating base region.
A strategic approach is being taken with the long-term management of the Regions waste. A West Coast Regional Waste Strategy was developed in 2004 by the WWG, in association with the Ministry for the Environment. This strategy adopts the New Zealand Waste Strategy (2002) where it is appropriate for the Region.
The West Coast Regional Waste Strategy has action targets for managing regional waste issues. Several targets have been implemented by employing a Waste Minimisation Projects Person as part of a one year Sustainable Management Fund project with the Ministry for the Environment. A second year's funding was recently approved.