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You are here: The issues Contains: Waste Contains: Waste data in New Zealand Contains:

SWAP Baseline Programme

The Ministry for the Environment has instituted a Solid Waste Analysis Protocol (SWAP) Baseline Programme to provide solid waste composition information at four indicator sites from around New Zealand. The objective of the programme is to establish generic waste composition data for New Zealand and to provide a basis for designing and interpreting SWAP surveys throughout New Zealand.

The indicator sites to date are:

  • Silverstream Landfill - Hutt City Council
  • Green Island Landfill - Dunedin City Council
  • Matamata Transfer Station - Matamata Piako District Council
  • Kaikoura Landfill - Innovative Waste Kaikoura/Kaikoura District Council

Download SWAP Baseline results (Excel 244 KB) to see currently available waste composition data including data from 1995-2002 and the results of the SWAP Baseline programme to date.

The first, intensive part of the SWAP programme is almost complete, with two surveys to be completed shortly. The surveys have been scheduled over two years, with survey times chosen to take into account seasonal and annual variation.

The SWAP Baseline survey programme was as follows:

  Green Island Silverstream Kaikoura Matamata
Spring 2002 December 2002 - completed. - - -
Summer 2003 February 2003 - completed. January 2003 - completed. February 2003 - completed. -
Autumn 2003 May 2003 - completed. April 2003 - completed. May 2003 - completed. April 2003 - completed.
Winter 2003 August 2003 - completed. July 2003 - completed. August 2003 - completed. July 2003 - completed.
Spring 2003 - October 2003 - completed. November 2003 - completed. October 2003 - completed.
Summer 2004 December 2003 - completed. December 2003 - completed. - January 2004 - completed.
Autumn 2004 March 2004 - completed. March 2004 - completed. March 2004 - completed. March 2004 - completed.
Winter 2004 June 2004 - completed. June 2004 - completed. June 2004 - completed. June 2004 - completed.
Spring 2004 September 2004 - completed. September 2004 - completed. September 2004 - completed. September 2004 - completed.
Summer 2005 - - December 2004 December 2004

In addition to the SWAP Baseline data from the four indicator sites, SWAP data has been made available to the Ministry from:

  • Wellington City Council SWAP survey programme, two SWAP surveys at the Northern and Southern landfills, survey of rubbish bag and wheelie bin collections and recycling collection system (survey dates August 2002 and February 2003)
  • Gisborne District Council - annual survey programme
  • Westland District Council - annual survey programme
  • Marlborough District Council

Further, less intensive sampling is planned for the future to ensure that representative data is maintained.