After being adopted for consultation by the QLDC on Tuesday, the draft plan outlines an ambitious vision to move towards zero waste and a circular economy.
The plan is updated every six years under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and outlines how the district will manage and reduce waste.
The current draft focuses on an approach that uses the right tools, services and facilities to work on changing behaviours and better managing waste and used materials.
Communities will have the opportunity to provide feedback during the public consultation which will close on June 30.
"This WMMP is a draft, and we invite everyone to provide feedback on whether you think these are the right actions to take together," QLDC strategy planning manager Sophie Mander said.
"This is a crucial opportunity for the community to help us define the next chapter."
Since the 2018 plan was adopted, progress has included a new three-bin kerbside collection service, boosted public education, introduced both the community composting hubs and the annual Waste Minimisation Community Fund and furthered a commitment to a future kerbside organics collection.
Partnerships with local organisations including Wastebusters, Sustainable Queenstown and Wao have also been key to helping reduce waste.
As part of developing the draft, the QLDC hosted stakeholder workshops and a public webinar in September 2024 which helped shape the priorities and actions outlined in the plan.
"We’ve worked with key groups in our community to shape a new direction for how we respond to the waste challenges in our district," QLDC infrastructure committee chairman Gavin Bartlett said.
"Council has an important part to play in leading this work, but minimising our waste will require our community to work together, collaborating on opportunities and making change happen."
Although legislation requires the council to write the WMMP, the plan will only be successful if members of the community work together to make it happen.
Community members can explore the plan and contribute further via an online engagement platform. Public engagement opportunities will also be held over June.
— APL
