Central Otago residents are being encouraged to comment on a proposal to change the way residents pay for disposing of waste in the district.
A statement of intent for the changes was presented to the Central Otago District Council recently by its waste minimisation officer Sophie Mander, and was approved for public consultation.
It recommends the general rate used to pay for waste disposal be replaced by a user-pays system, which would see increased charges for waste at refuse transfer stations.
Overall, the cost of disposing of waste would increase, in keeping with increased costs of sending rubbish to landfill.
Ms Mander said the general rate component of waste-disposal costs would actually reduce, and those who disposed of waste would pay more.
In April, the council agreed in principle to implement a waste levy on all rubbish generated in the district - to take effect from July 1 next year - and the proposed changes were subsequently developed, she said.
In the 2009-10 financial year, a general rate of $75 for waste management would be applied to every property, decreasing to $48 in 2010-11.
All urban ratepayers would also be charged $192 for each 240-litre wheelie bin in the first year, and $224 in the following year.
At present, disposing of waste at transfer stations costs about $140 per tonne.
In 2010-11, a waste reduction charge of $47 per tonne would be added to that figure, as would a $10 government landfill levy, increasing costs per tonne to about $200.
It was estimated ratepayers with a wheelie bin would pay an extra $5 in rates each year, while those without bins would pay less in rates than at present.
Ms Mander said the increased costs would provide people with a greater incentive to reduce waste by using less, reusing more of what they did own, and recycling.
The results of that behaviour would benefit the district and help it achieve a zero-waste policy, she said.
Submissions on the proposal close on January 29.
