The Dunedin City Council said in a statement the planned redevelopment of the Green Island Resource Recovery Park was due to begin in October and be completed by the end of 2029.
The council’s nine-year plan set aside $78m for the redevelopment, which would include a new facility for processing yellow-lidded recycling bins; a composting facility for green-lidded bin contents; upgraded glass bunkers for sorting and storage; and an upgraded waste transfer station for rubbish in red-lidded bins.
There would be new roads, new buildings, a kerbside collections truck park and office, and a repositioned green-waste, or garden-waste drop-off area.
The recycling drop-off area, organic material receiving building (which was completed in the middle of last year), the Rummage shop and education centre would remain, the statement said.
All public services would continue during the redevelopment, but there would be some disruptions.
The statement said work on water, power, drainage, and roads would be the initial focus and people should expect to see lots of preparation for building foundations.
"Neighbouring properties and key stakeholders have been fully informed about the project and will continue to be advised as milestones and any challenges are met," the council statement said.
Waste and environmental solutions group manager Chris Henderson said when the work was complete the council would stop trucking about 5000 tonnes of mixed recycling and 16,000 tonnes of compostable material every year to Timaru for processing.
"We will be able to do all the processing here, reducing transport costs and carbon emissions.
"Yes, material will be transported to recycling markets elsewhere, but at much reduced volumes because it has been processed, compacted, and baled ready for transport here in Ōtepoti Dunedin."
He said in June the council awarded Turmec and its Australian partner, The Environmental Group Limited, a $11.9m contract to supply specialist, high-end sorting machinery to process materials from kerbside collection yellow-lidded mixed recycling bins in a new materials recycling facility.
While the redevelopment was under way the neighbouring Green Island Landfill would be capped in stages in advance of its closure by 2029-2030. — Allied Media
