Press Release: Glenorchy Community Composter Opening: A Step Towards a Zero Waste Future
GLENORCHY, NEW ZEALAND, April 2023 – Zero Waste Glenorchy (ZWGY), a community-based waste minimisation organisation, is excited to announce the formal opening of the Glenorchy community composting facility at 3pm on Thursday, April 27th. The new facility is located at Mrs Woolly’s General Store Carpark, 64 Oban Street, Glenorchy. Stakeholders and the community are invited to attend.
The community composter will provide an opportunity for the community to divert significant volumes of organic waste from traveling 80km back to Victoria Flats Landfill, putting local food waste to work locally.
The facility will convert food waste and test small volumes of compostable food packaging from hospitality businesses, residents, and tourists, into compost for reuse in local gardens. It will also process some of the cardboard packaging that is used by local businesses.
The composting system, housed in a converted shipping container, is fully enclosed and operates 365 days a year. The composter is designed to maintain optimal temperature, moisture, and ventilation levels to promote the rapid breakdown of organic matter based on successful systems used in places such as the US, Norway, and Canada.
The idea of a community composting system was first discussed with the Glenorchy community in 2017 during a meeting with the Glenorchy Community Association. After a feasibility study confirmed the availability of sufficient organic waste and cardboard, partial funding was secured from The Ministry for the Environment Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF) Te Pūtea Whakamauru Para and Community Trust South. With the balance from The Headwaters, the parent organisation behind The Headwaters Eco Lodge and Mrs Woolly’s General Store. The initial project will run as a 12-month pilot in partnership with Queenstown Lake District Council, Hewland Projects, Zero Waste Glenorchy and The Headwaters Ltd. Funding support for the pilot period is provided by Queenstown Lake District Council and the Ministry for the Environment WMF.
The purpose of the pilot operation is to:
● Divert organic waste (food scraps, cardboard, and limited green waste) from the landfill
● Build composting skills and awareness of organic waste impacts
● Improve data and research to help inform Queenstown Lake District Council’s future organic waste planning
● Provide educational opportunities for visitors and the community, including workshops on composting and sustainable waste management, and other sustainability topics
This project supports the Glenorchy township’s Shaping our Futures vision of becoming a community recognised for conservation, environmental, and sustainability leadership. It has a goal of zero waste and 100% capture and recycling of nutrients and materials.
The collection of organic waste from hospitality businesses will commence on April 27th, and kerbside collection from residents will start in late October, utilising a “cargo” style e-bike with a custom-built trailer.
During the opening day event, the composting operations and system will be showcased, providing an opportunity for the community to learn about this initiative.
For further information about the Glenorchy Community Composting Project, please contact the project manager Steve Hewland at +64 (0)21 942 099 or via email at [email protected].
For more information, visit Zero Waste Glenorchy’s website.
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