Rubbish & recycling  |  26 Nov 2020

Part of the Burwood Resource Recovery Park could continue to operate beyond the end of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals.

Originally it was intended that all operations at the recovery park would cease in December 2021. However, Christchurch City Council has approved an extension of operations at the park until alternative disposal sites are identified.

Staff will now look at whether Site C, an area of about 9.62 hectares of land, can continue to be used to dispose of cleanfill and soils that contain some low risk contaminants. This will include broader engagement with the local community, including the Waitai/Coastal-Burwood Community Board.

“The reason we have agreed to extend operations in this part of the recovery park is because there are currently no alternative disposal sites within the Christchurch area for the disposal of low level contaminated soils,’’ says Councillor Pauline Cotter, chair of the Council’s Three Waters Infrastructure and Environment Committee,

“If we close the current facility, developers and those working on remediation projects would need to truck those materials to the Kate Valley Regional Landfill or to another disposal site outside of the Christchurch area.

“This would involve much longer transport distances and would be very costly. Until an alternative site is developed, the best option is to continue to use this small section of the recovery park for this low risk activity,’’ Cr Cotter says.

The Burwood Resource Recovery Park was established by the Council after the earthquakes to manage materials from the city’s demolished buildings. Where possible the demolition waste has been sorted and recycled but some cannot be re-used and remains on site in an extension of the original Burwood landfill.

That material is currently being capped and covered with soil so that it can be landscaped and transitioned into a recreation area that will be incorporated into the neighbouring Bottle Lake Forest Park in 2022.

“Some local residents may be disappointed that limited operations will be continuing at the recovery park beyond 2021. I want to assure them that keeping a small section of the park open will not interfere with our plans to redevelop the rest of the park as a recreation area and that there will only be a low number of truck movements each month,’’ Cr Cotter says.