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Article IX. Annex II: Monitoring and Evaluation System - Issues for Further Consideration

Section 9.01 Reporting on quantitative targets

The quantitative targets (organic and construction and demolition waste) relate to the percentage diversion of the 'waste stream'. There are challenges in measuring the entire waste stream due to the need to define the point at which a material becomes a waste, and therefore it is worth considering alternative measurement methods. In New Zealand we have good waste composition data and good data on the quantity of waste disposed of to landfill, which can be used to determine the quantity of different waste streams disposed of to landfill.

There are two options for reporting against the organic and construction and demolition waste targets.

Use a baseline figure for waste composition and translate the diversion target into a residual waste composition target. For example, in 1995 green waste made up approximately 20 percent of the total waste stream. If we assume that the proportion of green waste produced has remained similar, the target to divert 95 percent of green waste from landfill disposal should result in green waste comprising around 1 percent of the total landfilled waste stream. [That is, if garden waste is 16% of 100,000 tonnes of material disposed of to landfill (estimated based on SWAP survey results and waste disposal quantity), and prior to green waste diversion garden waste made up 20% of 105,000 tonnes disposed of to landfill, then diversion is (21,000 - 16,000)/23,000 x 100% = 23.8%. Since the percentage will change as diversion of other parts of the waste stream occurs it is important to use tonnage rather than percentage figures to calculate diversion.]
Consider the 'total waste stream' as material diverted to commercial-scale resource recovery and material disposed of to landfill. For organics this would comprise commercial composting and landfill disposal, and diversion is measured as the percentage of material managed through commercial-scale composting. [That is, if 5,000 tonnes of garden waste is composted and 16,000 tonnes of garden waste is disposed of to landfill (estimated based on SWAP survey and waste disposal quantity), then diversion is 5,000/(5,000 + 16,000) x 100% = 23.8%.]

For the construction and demolition waste targets, the source of waste disposed to landfill is a key piece of information. This information is collected through some SWAP surveys. The proposed cleanfill survey will provide information about waste disposed of to cleanfills (generally predominantly from construction and demolition activities).

Section 9.02 Volume-to-weight conversion

To convert waste quantity data from volume-based measurements (from smaller landfills and transfer stations and most composting operations) to tonnage-based measurements it is proposed that the following standard volume-to-weight conversion factors (US EPA, 1997) be used unless local data is available.

Construction and demolition waste 0.290 tonnes/m³
Municipal solid waste (uncompacted) 0.200 tonnes/m³
Municipal solid waste (compacted in truck) 0.500 tonnes/m³
Municipal solid waste (compacted in landfill) 0.600 tonnes/m³

Section 9.03 Suggested format for annual reporting by territorial local authorities

The following format is suggested.

(a) Target: Suggested reporting

Waste minimisation
1.4	% of population that have access to recycling at the point of 'disposal'. [At the point of disposal: kerbside recycling for urban areas, recycling at disposal point (transfer station or landfill) for rural areas.]
1.5	Note provisions in district plan for waste minimisation in multi-unit residential and commercial buildings.
1.6	Note procedures for waste minimisation in facilities and assets. Note targets for waste minimisation at facilities and assets, including progress towards meeting these targets.
Organic waste
2.1	Outline the measurement programme for measuring existing garden waste quantities. Note the target for garden waste diversion to beneficial re-use.
2.2	% of garden waste diverted to beneficial re-use (based on local data or estimated using a mix of local data and national waste data).
2.3	Outline the measurement programme for measuring other organic waste streams.
2.4	Note the biosolids diversion schemes for local wastewater treatment plants, including quantities.
2.5	% of commercial organic waste diverted to beneficial use (based on local data, or estimated using a mix of local data and national waste data).
Construction and demolition wastes
4.1	Outline the measurement programme for measuring existing construction and demolition waste quantities. Note the target for construction and demolition waste diversion from landfill disposal.
4.2	% of construction and demolition waste diverted from landfill disposal.
Trade wastes
8.1	Note what trade waste controls are in place. Note the monitoring associated with trade waste controls.
8.2	% of trade waste permits holders that have a recognised waste minimisation and management programme in place.
Waste disposal
9.1	Note the provision for full cost recovery for waste treatment and disposal services.
9.2	% of landfills and transfer stations with full-cost charging. % of cleanfills with full-cost charging.
9.4	Note the upgrade or closure of substandard landfills.
9.5	Note the upgrade or closure of substandard wastewater treatment plants.

Section 9.04 Annual reporting

The text below is an excerpt from the Top City Council Annual Report: Reporting on the New Zealand Waste Strategy targets. It is indicative only, and illustrates how a territorial authority might report progress against waste targets in a council annual report.

Waste minimisation

Target 1.4 - Access to recycling

In SCC 75% of population that have access to recycling at the point of 'disposal'. This comprises kerbside recycling [Recycling = Type 1 and 2 plastics, glass, steel, aluminium and paper.] for urban residents, recycling [Recycling = Type 1 and 2 plastics, glass, steel, aluminium and paper.] facilities at our rural transfer stations and greenwaste drop off facilities at our rural and urban transfer stations.

Target 1.5 - Provision for recycling in multi-unit buildings

The SCC District Plan does not currently require provision for recycling in multi-unit buildings. We have commenced an examination of this issue with the intention of proposing changes to the district plan in the 2003/4 financial year.

Target 1.6 - Waste minimisation in council assets and facilities

Our generic asset management procedures include consideration of waste minimisation for all council-managed assets and facilities.

We aim to reduce total waste to landfill from assets/facilities we manage to 50% of 2003 levels by 2008. We currently dispose of 2.5 tonnes per annum to landfill from assets/facilities we manage.

Organic waste

Target 2.1 - Measurement programme for garden waste

The SCC Council estimates the quantity of garden waste disposed of to landfill based on:

1. SWAP Baseline Programme results [SCC intends to undertake a SWAP survey of material disposed of to landfill via SCC transfer stations on a biannual basis. This information will be used in conjunction with SWAP baseline data to estimate the composition of waste from SCC.]

2. quantity of waste disposed of to landfill from SCC transfer stations

3. an estimate of waste from the SCC area disposed of directly to landfill. [The operator of the regional landfill has made an estimate of the quantity of waste from SCC disposed of directly to the landfill site based on discussions with waste transporters.]

We aim to reduce the quantity of garden waste from the SCC area disposed of to landfill by 60% (2005) and 95% (2010).

Target 2.2 - Garden waste diversion

We have achieved 25% diversion of garden waste from landfill disposal to beneficial re-use. This comprises 13,000 tonnes of garden waste processed into compost. Based on SWAP Baseline results for a similar waste catchment and our estimate of total waste disposed of to landfill, 52,000 tonnes of garden waste (13%) is disposed of to landfill each year from the SCC area.

Target 2.3 - Measurement programme for other organic waste

The quantity and diversion of other organic waste is estimated as for garden waste.

Target 2.4

Biosolids from the SCC Wastewater Treatment Plant is diverted from landfill disposal and applied to land on SCC owned forestry land. The total quantity of biosolids diverted is 12,000 tonnes (1800 tonnes DS/15% DS).

Target 2.5 - Commercial organic waste diversion

We are still working on a system to measure commercial organic waste quantities and expect to be able to report progress towards meeting this target in the next financial year.

Construction and demolition wastes

Target 4.1 - Measurement programme for construction and demolition waste

The SCC Council will estimate the quantity of construction and demolition waste disposed of to landfill and cleanfill based on:

2. quantity of waste disposed of to landfill from SCC transfer stations

3. an estimate of waste from the SCC area disposed of directly to landfill [The operator of the regional landfill has made an estimate of the quantity of waste from SCC disposed of directly to the landfill site based on discussions with waste transporters.]

4. an estimate of construction and demolition waste disposed of to cleanfill. [Based on a survey of operating cleanfills carried out by X Regional Council.]

We aim to reduce the quantity of construction and demolition waste from the SCC area disposed of to landfill and cleanfill by 50% [by] December 2008.

Target 4.2 - Diversion of construction and demolition waste from landfill and cleanfill disposal

We are still establishing the baseline for this target and expect to be able to report construction and demolition waste disposal quantities in the 2004/05 financial year.

Trade wastes

Target 8.1 - Put in place trade waste controls

The SCC put in place a Trade Waste By-law based on NZS xxx on 31 March 1999. The standard conditions include flow monitoring with specific conditions for each permit specifying additional parameters to be monitored and reported on an annual basis.

Target 8.2 - Trade waste permit holders with waste minimisation/management plans

We are currently considering amending our Trade Waste By-law to require permit holders to put in place a recognised waste minimisation and management plan. In the interim we have surveyed all permit holders as part of the compliance audit programme regarding waste minimisation and management initiatives. Based on audits of 25% of permit holders undertaken to date we estimate that 5% of all permit holders have a waste minimisation and management plan in place.

Waste disposal

Target 9.1 - Policy for full cost recovery

SCC put in place policies supporting full cost recovery for waste treatment and disposal services provided by the Council on 31 July 2002.

Target 9.2 - Implement full cost charging

SCC does not operate any landfills. The two urban transfer stations charge based on the full costs of handling and disposing of the waste received ($90/tonne). The five rural transfer stations currently provide waste disposal services at no charge. Consultation is currently under way with the communities served by these transfer stations regarding a timetable for phasing in appropriate charges.

SCC does not operate any cleanfills.

The SCC Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently funded through a uniform annual charge on all rateable properties. The SCC is currently considering options for implementing charges more closely related to the volume and strength of waste discharged into the sewerage system, in particular where the discharge is regulated under the SCC Trade Waste By-law.

Target 9.4 - Upgrade or close all substandard landfills

SCC does not operate any landfills.

Target 9.5 - Upgrade or closure of substandard wastewater treatment plants

The SCC Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently rated as 'mostly complying' by the X Regional Council. The SCC has acknowledged that there are some issues with specific aspects of the treatment system and has put in place a programme to design and implement solutions. This programme will run to December 2012 and includes:

Modifications to the secondary treatment system, A infiltration/leak detection programme (2003-2010), Installing buffering tanks to reduced the incidence of storm overflows, ...

Section 9.05 Suggested regional council annual reporting (compliance / state of the environment / annual reports)

(a) Target: Suggested reporting

Waste minimisation
1.2	Note initiatives to put in place recognised waste minimisation and management programmes for industrial resource consent holders.
1.7	% of industrial resource consent holders with a recognised waste minimisation and management programme in place.
Hazardous wastes
5.2	Note hazardous waste controls that have been put in place. % of treatment and disposal facilities with appropriate controls in place.
Contaminated sites
6.1	Number of sites identified (from HAIL list). % of identified sites subjected to rapid screening.
6.2	% of high-risk sites with remediation programmes in place.
6.3	% of high-risk sites managed or remediated. Note any programme to manage or remediate low- to medium-risk sites.
Waste disposal
9.3	% of cleanfills that comply with the Guide to the Management of Cleanfills
9.4	Note upgrade or closure of substandard landfills.
9.5	Note closure or upgrade of substandard wastewater treatment plants.

Section 9.06 Reporting on the New Zealand Waste Strategy Targets

The following is an excerpt from the Top Regional Council Annual state of the environment / monitoring report.

Waste minimisation

Target 1.2 - Waste minimisation and management programmes for resource consents

We have reservations about the ability to formally require waste minimisation and management plans through resource consent conditions. However, we are exploring non-regulatory means to encourage holders of resource consents to implement waste minimisation and management initiatives across their operations.

Target 1.7 - % of resource consents with waste minimisation and management programmes

While we cannot currently require resource consent holders to put in place waste minimisation and management programmes, we have undertaken an informal survey of waste minimisation and management initiatives in consent holders operations. On the basis of this informal survey we estimate that 5% of consent holders have such programmes in place.

Hazardous wastes

Target 5.2 - Hazardous waste subject to appropriate treatment prior to disposal

We are waiting on the finalisation of the Ministry for the Environment's Waste Acceptance Criteria and Landfill Classification system in the expectation that this will provide a basis for reviewing and appropriately amending resource consent conditions relating to waste acceptance criteria for the region's landfills. A brief review of existing resource consent conditions for landfills in the region indicates that three of the eight sites currently have appropriate disposal controls in place.

Three of the five municipal wastewater treatment plants in our region have inputs regulated through Trade Waste By-laws; the remaining two system operators are currently developing trade waste controls based on the New Zealand Standard Bylaws, Part 23 - Trade Waste.

Contaminated sites

Target 6.1 - Sites identified and subjected to rapid screening

We have identified 2,347 sites in the region based on the Ministry for the Environment's Hazardous Activities and Industry List.

We have commenced a rapid screening project for all identified sites and have completed screening for 250 sites.

Target 6.2 - Screening completed and remediation programme for high-risk sites

We have remediation plans for 60% of the sites deemed high risk based on the rapid screening undertaken to date.

Target 6.3 - High-risk sites managed/remediated

20% of sites identified as high risk through the screening programme have been managed or remediated. We currently have no programme in place for the management or remediation of low to medium risk sites.

Waste disposal

Target 9.3 - Cleanfill to comply with cleanfill disposal guidelines

We have no comprehensive information on the compliance of cleanfills within the region with cleanfill disposal guidelines. Based on pollution incident records it is clear there are some sites that do not comply. We have scheduled a targeted investigation into cleanfill operations in the region with a view to identifying and addressing issues with cleanfill operations in the region.

Target 9.4 - Close or upgrade substandard landfills

We would consider that three of the eight landfills currently operating in the region are consistent with best practice (Landfill Guidelines, CAE 2000). The remaining five sites are scheduled to close by 2010.

Target 9.5 - Close or upgrade substandard wastewater treatment plants

We are working with the operators of the five municipal wastewater treatment plants in the region on achieving best practice with respect to both treatment and reticulation. Based on our discussions and agreed action plans we expect all plants to fully comply with relevant regional and national policy by 2020.

Section 9.07 Suggested Ministry for the Environment reporting

(a) All targets

Review of territorial local authority annual reports.
Review of regional council compliance / state of the environment and annual reports.
SWAP baseline survey.
Survey of local authorities to obtain information not available through existing reports.

(b) Target: Suggested reporting

Waste minimisation
1.5	Note progress towards including requirement for the provision of recycling facilities in multi-unit buildings through the Building Act/Building Regulations.
Special wastes
3.1	The number of major businesses working to develop extended producer responsibility pilot programmes.
Hazardous wastes
5.1	Note progress on developing/implementing a hazardous waste management policy for New Zealand.
Organochlorines
7.1	Note progress towards meeting New Zealand's obligations under the Stockholm Convention.
7.2	% reduction in average body burden of dioxins.
Waste disposal
9.4	Note progress towards closure or upgrade of substandard landfills (Landfill Review and Audit).
9.5	Note progress towards closure or upgrade of substandard landfills (Ministry for the Environment survey).

Target	Date	Suggested reporting format	Source*
Waste minimisation
1.1 Local authority will report their progress	July 2001	% of local authorities reporting on waste minimisation progress in annual report	TLA
1.2 Consents waste minimisation programme	December 2005	% of regional councils with programmes to put in place recognised waste minimisation and management programme for industrial resource consent holders	RC
1.3 10 major businesses	December 2005	Number of major businesses working with central and/or local government on waste minimisation programmes	MfE/TLA/RC
1.4 Access to recycling	December 2005	% of population with 'access to recycling' [At the point of disposal: kerbside recycling for urban areas, recycling at disposal point (transfer station or landfill) for rural areas.]	TLA
1.5 Building regulations	December 2005	% of territorial local authorities with provision for recycling facilities in multi-unit residential and commercial buildings (via district plans) Progress on amending the Building Act 19xx to allow for recycling facilities in multi-unit residential and commercial buildings	TLA MfE
1.6 Waste minimisation in territorial assets	December 2005	% of local authorities with procedures and targets for waste minimisation for all facilities and assets they manage	TLA
1.7 25% waste minimisation programmes	December 2010	% of industrial resource consent holders with recognised waste minimisation and management programme	RC
Organic wastes
2.1 Measure garden waste	December 2003	% of local authorities with a measurement system for garden waste disposed to landfill (based on SWAP surveys and waste disposal quantity) % of territorial local authorities with local targets for garden waste diversion	TLA/MfE
2.2 60-95% of garden waste	December 2005	% of garden waste diverted from landfill to beneficial re-use	TLA/MfE
2.3 Measure other organic waste	December 2007	% of local authorities with a measurement system for other organic waste disposed to landfill (based on SWAP surveys and waste disposal quantity)	TLA/MfE
2.4 Divert biosolids	December 2007	% of sewage sludge disposed of to landfill (local, regional and national basis) Note biosolids diversion schemes throughout New Zealand (from annual plans)	TLA/MfE
2.5 Commercial organic wastes	December 2010	% of commercial organic waste disposed of to landfill on a local, regional and national level (based on SWAP surveys and waste disposal quantity)	TLA/MfE
Special wastes
3.1 Extended producer responsibility	December 2005	Progress towards developing and implementing extended producer responsibility programmes	MfE
Construction and demolition wastes
4.1 Measure C&D	December 2005	% of local authorities with a measurement system for construction and demolition waste disposed to landfill and cleanfill (based on SWAP surveys, cleanfill survey and waste disposal quantity)	TLA/MfE
4.2 50% diversion	December 2010	% of waste from C&D activity diverted from landfill (including cleanfill) disposal	TLA/MfE
Hazardous wastes
5.1 Hazardous waste management policy	December 2005	Progress towards development of a hazardous waste management policy	MfE
5.2 Hazardous waste treated	December 2004	Hazardous waste disposal controls in place % recovery of hazardous waste % recycling of hazardous waste	MfE/RC
5.3 Hazardous waste recovery and recycling rates	December 2012	% recovery of hazardous waste % recycling of hazardous waste
Contaminated sites
6.1 50% rapid screening	December 2008	Number of sites on HAIL list identified (local, regional and national basis) % of identified sites subjected to rapid screening (Ministry for the Environment, 2003)	RC RC
6.2 100% screen and remediation plans	December 2010	% of identified sites subjected to rapid screening (Ministry for the Environment, 2003) % of 'high-risk' sites with a remediation programme in place	RC
6.3 'High risk' managed or remediated	December 2015	% of 'high-risk' sites managed or remediated	RC
Organochlorines
7.1 Collect and destroy PCBs/organochlorines	December 2010	Progress towards meeting obligations under the Stockholm Convention	MfE
7.2 The average body burdens of dioxins	December 2020	Average body burden of dioxins	MfE
Trade wastes
8.1 By-laws	December 2005	% of territorial local authorities with Trade Waste by-Law	TLA
8.2 Waste minimisation programmes	December 2005	% of territorial local authorities with programmes to put in place recognised waste minimisation and management programme for trade waste permit holders	TLA
Waste disposal
9.1 Policy for full-cost recovery	December 2003	% of territorial local authorities with provision for full-cost recovery for waste treatment and disposal services	TLA
9.2 User charges based on the full costs	December 2005	% of landfills with charges based on the full costs of disposal (Ministry for the Environment, 2002) % cleanfills with charges based on the full costs of disposal (based on survey) % of wastewater treatment plants with charges based on the full costs of disposal	TLA TLA/MfE TLA
9.3 Cleanfill disposal standards	December 2005	% of cleanfills complying with Ministry cleanfill guidelines (Ministry for the Environment, 2003)	RC
9.4 Substandard landfills	December 2010	Progress towards closure of substandard landfills (Ministry for the Environment, 2003)	RC
9.5 Substandard wastewater treatment plant	December 2020	Progress towards closure of substandard wastewater treatment plants	RC

* MfE = Ministry for the Environment; RC = regional council; TLA = territorial local authority.

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