Regional Organic Materials Recovery (OMR) Facility

One of the key targets in our Waste Management and Minimisation Plans, as well as our emissions reduction targets, is reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, with a specific focus on organic waste (i.e., food waste, green waste) which can comprise up to 60% of the amount of domestic waste currently being unnecessarily thrown out and sent to landfill.

This nutrient-dense organic waste could be used for so much good, namely by recycling it to create fertilisers and compost, or even the creation of low-emissions renewable biofuels through anaerobic digestion processes.

Central Government is also introducing some initiatives over the next couple of years that mean a local facility that can process this type of waste safely and sustainably, with minimal emissions from the processing and transportation phases, will be needed by Taranaki’s three councils if we are to continue to provide an effective kerbside collection service for our residents.

From the beginning of this project, iwi and hapū have been key partners in exploring and considering how best to manage the recovery of organic materials across the region. A number of critical bottom lines from a te ao Māori viewpoint were developed from this engagement process, and these have been integrated into the assessment criteria used to develop options within the final feasibility report, and recommend next steps for further development of this project. The AATEA report linked below details the results of our iwi engagement work.

We have also engaged with industry stakeholders across the region who are producing significant quantities of organic materials that require management, and we will continue to partner with them on the next steps.

Where are we at now?

A feasibility study, completed by Tonkin & Taylor and funded by the three district councils, has been completed and the next steps include further work to establish a governance group with iwi, hapu and industry stakeholders, as well as going out to the market to see what options service providers in the market could offer that will achieve the report's outcomes and recommendations.

This feasibility study collected region-wide organic waste data and investigated options for how Councils might best manage and recover various organic material waste streams from across the region, and stop them going to landfill.  It also covered a range of ownership and operating options, processing technologies and scale factors, as well as expected sales opportunities and key price points for the end products produced, which could include biogas and organic composts and fertilisers.

Expressions of interest for the organics facility have closed and the regional team is evaluating proposals.

Where to from here?

Over the next couple of months there will be further work to establish a governance group and a request for expressions of interest to look at options for a commercial scale network of facilities. 

Read more about it

Interested in finding out more?

If you are interested in being kept up-to-date on the progress of this project, please email envirosus@stdc.govt.nz