Changes to Marlborough wheelie bin and waste service proposal sought

Marlborough’s council is looking to scrap a proposal to add small transfer stations in two Sounds communities – after opposition from the community.

The Marlborough District Council asked the public its thoughts on a plan to introduce “remote transfer stations” at 12 sites; Awatere Valley Rd, Duncan Bay, Ohingaroa Quarry, Okiwi Bay, Portage, Port Underwood, Rapaura, The Grove, Titirangi, Waihopai, Waitaria Bay, and Ward.

The idea was part of a wider proposal to expand kerbside rubbish collection to multiple new areas of the region.

Initially it was mooted Marlborough households would get two 140-litre bins – one for rubbish and one for recycling – to be collected on alternate weeks. Households would also get a separate 55-litre crate for glass, which would be emptied fortnightly.

But some areas of the proposal had been met with opposition from the community and the council received 459 submissions on the original proposal.

It meant the panel that considered submissions made changes to the original proposal.

These changes included offering different sizes of wheelie bins, scrapping proposed transfer stations in Okiwi Bay and Duncan Bay and instead revamping an existing Rai Valley transfer station and not proceeding with proposed kerbside collection in Wairau Valley and Ward.

Council’s solid waste manager Dr Alec McNeil said the amendments were in response to the feedback.

“The Duncan Bay and Okiwi Bay residents obviously, whilst they want a (transfer station) facility, they didn't want that facility in their vicinity,” McNeil said.

“They felt that it was just inappropriate for that sort of setting, and secondly they were concerned that it may get used for people that are, say, out on a fishing trip and things like that.

“The majority are suggesting if you revamp the Rai Valley transfer station rather than reaching further out ... so that's the direction that we're heading in.”

Around 7% of submissions raised concerns about odour with several submitters, particularly with homes in Duncan Bay and Okiwi Bay voicing concerns about vermin and pests should the remote transfer stations be introduced.

Meanwhile, 8% of submitters said the size of wheelie bins was either too big or too small. The council would look to offer residents a low (80-litre), standard (140-litre) or high (240-litre) volume option.

“People have got different circumstances,” he said.

“There’s a little bit of logistics involved, but again we can do that, if the proposal goes through as amended.”

Under the proposal wheelie bins would be rolled-out out to 16% more properties, or just under 2500 more homes. This included homes in Grovetown, Havelock, Rarangi, Rai Valley, Renwick, Seddon, Spring Creek, Tuamarina, Wairau Valley and Ward.

Up to now, people in those places have had to take their waste to the nearest refuse centre.

The bins would cost an extra $27 a year, for households that already had kerbside pick-up.

The service would cost $160 a year for residents getting kerbside collection for the first time. This figure could still change.

The changes to the proposal would need to be signed off by the council’s assets and services committee on Tuesday, and again at a full council meeting on March 2. If the proposal was adopted, the wheelie bin contract was expected to start on July 1, 2024.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.