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Solid waste disposal

Solid waste can be disposed of in landfills and cleanfills.

Landfills can accept municipal solid waste, industrial waste and/or hazardous waste.

In contrast, cleanfills accept cleanfill: inert material, such as clay, soil, concrete or brick, that, when buried, will have no harmful effects on people or the environment. Inert materials are free of combustible, biodegradable or leachable components, hazardous substances or liquid waste. Some cleanfills are also consented to accept small quantities of other waste.

Municipal solid waste is any non-hazardous, solid waste from a combination of domestic, commercial and industrial sources. This can include food and garden waste, rubble and timber.

Industrial waste is specific to industry or industrial processes. This can include abattoir waste.

Hazardous waste poses a present or future threat to people or the environment because of properties such as its:

  • explosiveness or flammability
  • corrosiveness or capacity to oxidise
  • toxicity or eco-toxicity.

This waste needs treatment to make it safe or reduce its impact before landfill disposal. This could include sewage sludge, paint and asbestos.

The national environmental indicator for solid waste disposal provides information on:

The solid waste disposal indicator reports on landfills that receive municipal, industrial and hazardous waste. It does not report on other waste disposal facilities, for example waste disposed of to cleanfills or to landfills that accept only industrial and/or hazardous waste, incinerated waste or legacy waste (eg, stockpiled tyres or agrichemicals).

Did you know?

  • An estimated 3.156 million tonnes of waste were disposed of to New Zealand landfills in 2006.
  • There are just over 50 operating landfills throughout New Zealand.
  • Recycling 1 kg of aluminium saves enough electricity to run your television for a week.

 Limitations of the solid waste disposal indicator

This information has come from the Solid waste composition environmental report card and Environment New Zealand 2007

 

Last updated: 31 July 2009