Green Island landfill and transfer stations

1. Green Island landfill and Resource Recovery Park
2. Middlemarch transfer station
3. Waikouaiti transfer station

• General waste

  Household and commercial waste commonly identified as mixed loads of non-hazardous packaging products, food scraps, textiles, broken crockery and other household items, including small quantities of construction and demolition material.

  Tip: a little preplanning enables you to better prepare your load, meaning you can keep your landfill costs down by taking recyclable and reusable items to the recycling recovery park area and/or Rummage for no charge. A small fee will apply for some items for recycling.  Small quantities of waste should be bagged (80 litre bag or less) to avoid paying vehicle load charges.

  Cover - is sand or soil, which could have some clay mixed in, but is free of contaminants that may cause harm to human health or the environment. The cover must be spreadable to a thin layer of 100mm thick.

  Clay Cover - clay only, free from other materials. Charges are subject to seasonal variation in-line with daylight saving i.e. is taken free of charge during the warmer months.

  Cleanfill - is natural material such as soil, rock and clay and other such materials as concrete, brick, or products which are free of combustible or organic materials and are therefore not subject to biological or chemical breakdown. The maximum size of cleanfill material is 0.75m in any direction.

  Rubble - is concrete, bricks, roading material, concrete pipes and earthenware pipes. The maximum size of rubble is 1m in any direction. Material is to be clean, no asbestos and no rubbish.

• Special and hazardous waste

  The following materials require special handling to protect both the environment and human health. Green Island landfill is the only landfill in the city consented for special and hazardous waste disposal. You must advise the booth operator on your arrival to the landfill that you have special or hazardous waste on board.

  Special waste: are materials that may pose a risk to the environment or human health if not disposed of carefully, includes animal carcasses, commercial sludge’s, biosolids from septic tanks the Councils wastewater treatment plants.

  Hazardous waste: includes materials that have the following properties: are flammable, explosive, oxidising, corrosive, toxic, ecotoxic, radioactive, infectious, mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic. Examples include solvents and industrial cleaning fluids, medical waste, agricultural chemicals and many industrial wastes.

  Drop off of household special and hazardous wastes: can be done at the Green Island Transfer Station for a nominal charge (refer to the landfill charges). This is a service for small household quantities and not for commercial customers. Please advise the booth operators and place in the designated drop-off area near the transfer station pit.

  Contact the Landfill Engineer at DCC on 03 477 4000 early for more information, guidance and/or advice with regards to your disposal options. Note that incoming accepted materials may require prior notification of arrival for disposal a minimum of 5 working days beforehand.

• Asbestos disposal

  Asbestos is a hazardous substance that is harmful when inhaled and is only accepted at the Green Island landfill.

  It is strongly advised you engage a suitably qualified contractor to remove asbestos.

  All asbestos must be declared at the Booth.

  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required: half mask, disposable overalls and boots.

  Landfill procedure:

  • The Booth Operator will ask if the correct PPE is present.
  • Failure to have the correct PPE will result in the person being turned away from the landfill.
  • People with the correct equipment will be directed to the asbestos pit area where they will be greeted by a site staff member who will check to make sure they have the required PPE.
  • Asbestos must be wrapped in accordance with the Asbestos Regulations (2016).
  • Asbestos must be placed in the pit.
  • Sprinklers will be activated while unloading asbestos.
  • After unloading asbestos vehicles will require a wash down.
  • Disposable overalls need to be thrown away after disposal and cleaning has occurred.

  For more information please refer to the Worksafe website.

  The Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 must be followed; Legislation website.

• Contaminated soil

  This is soil contaminated by hazardous activities (HAIL soil) or other commercial or industrial activity that result in the presence of heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbons such as petrol, oil, diesel or other toxic liquids.

• Sludges and liquids

  Is any waste which, by its physical or chemical properties, requires special handling and is identified in two categories which is greater or lesser than 20% solids content.  An example of a physical property is ash which must be brought in on calm days.

• Prohibited waste

  Some materials are prohibited from entering landfill due to inherent characteristics that pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment.

  Persons seen disposing of products that appear on the following list will incur penalty charges; radioactive material, liquid paint, PCBs, refrigerant gases, gas cylinders and intractable organic-chlorine.

  This list is not exhaustive, if you think you have a substance that should not be landfilled, or pose a risk to the environment or human health, contact the Landfill Engineer at DCC on 03 477 4000.

We do not accept the following waste:

• Radioactive material
• Liquid paint
• PCBs
• Refrigerant gases
• Gas cylinders
• Intractable organic-chlorine

Find your way round Green Island landfill

The layout at Green Island landfill has changed now a second weighbridge has been installed. All vehicles will now be weighed so you only pay for the rubbish and green waste that goes to the transfer station.

You can still drop off your pre-loved items for free to Rummage and other recyclables including paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, polystyrene and rigid plastics #1, #2, #5 – remember NO LIDS!

• Glass

  Glass collection pods are provided for the collection colour sorted glass, i.e; brown, clear and green.

  • Glass should be unbroken and should have been rinsed out.
  • Only glass bottles and jars can be accepted, not other glass products such as mirrors or sheet glass.
  • Lids MUST be removed.

  Please do not deposit window glass, drinking glasses, light bulbs, or crockery in these containers. The composition of this glass differs greatly. This must be treated as contaminated in the recycling process.

  For more information please refer to www.visy.com.au/packaging/glass.

• Mixed recycling

  Yellow-lidded mixed recycling bins are provided for the collection of:

  • rigid plastics 1, 2 and 5 ONLY (lids removed).
  • metal tins and cans.
  • paper and flattened cardboard.

  Please do not deposit soft plastics (e.g. plastic bags) or general waste in these bins.

• Polystyrene

  Domestic loads of polystyrene can be taken to the Resource Recovery Park or Mitre 10 MEGA to be recycled for free. This gets transported to Cromwell and made into insulation for houses, by Expol Ltd.

• Plasterboard

  You can now take clean, plasterboard off-cuts for recycling at the Resource Recovery Park.

  If you have new and clean plasterboard off-cuts leftover from your home reno's or DIY project, then bring them in for free recycling!

  We accept:

  • GIB - Standard.
  • GIB - Wideline.
  • GIB - Fyreline.
  • GIB - Braceline, Noiseline, Barrierline.
  • GIB - Ultraline.

  The gypsum in the plasterboard is extracted and reused in the horticultural and agricultural industries as a soil conditioner and in compost.

  Plasterboard and demolition products currently not accepted for recycling:

  • GIB - products from demolition sites.
  • GIB - Aqualine.
  • GIB - Weatherline.
  • Demolition or used materials.

  Domestic loads only.

• Household batteries

  Household batteries, including alkaline (AA, AAA’s etc) and lithium (computer, tool batteries) can be dropped off to the Rummage shop for free. They are recycled via Cargill Enterprises.

  Mercuric oxide, silver oxide zinc air, zinc chloride, nickel cadmium, nickel lithium and nickel metal hydride batteries are also accepted but must be 12 volts or less.

• Whiteware and scrap metal

  In the same location there is a free for use collection skip for household scrap metal items and whiteware. Household fridges and freezers are also taken – please check on the collection point for those. These items are degassed and then sent for scrap recovery. Please confer with a member of the Rummage shop team.

  Please note commercial loads will not be accepted.

• E-waste

  What is the DCC doing about it

  The DCC is taking action to address the e-waste problem, including advocating to Central Government to make the electronics industry responsible for e-waste with take-back schemes.  We also have collection facilities for e-waste at the Rummage shop at the Green Island Resource Recovery Park. This helps prevent these items from ending up in landfill.

  Our Waste Minimisation and Management Plan 2020 sets out the range of ways we can support communities and businesses to maximise the use of products, including e-waste.

  Ways to support e-waste recycling and promote producer responsibility

  Think about whether you really need to buy a new electronic device, or whether you can get your current one repaired or upgraded. If you do need a new device, ask the supplier if they recycle old ones. By doing this, you can create the demand for recycling through your purchasing decisions and place the responsibility for recycling on the producers.

  If your supplier cannot accept old devices for recycling, there are organisations that are known to recycle e-waste ethically.

  The TechCollect programme, supported by Noel Leeming stores, accepts a range of e-waste items for free. This includes printers, computers and laptops, tablets and notebooks, cameras and video cameras, but excludes TVs and white goods.

  Mobile phones, mobile phone chargers and cables can be recycled through the RE:mobile programme that is available at mobile phone retailers.

  Remember that you should clear personal data from devices before dropping them off. For more information about how to do this, visit the TechCollect NZ website.

  E-waste collection

  You can drop off your computer waste, TVs, mobile phones, and other electronics at the Green Island Resource Recovery Park. These will then be collected by Cargill Enterprises. A small charge may apply to cover the costs of dismantling, although the recycling cost is subsidised by Council. You can also take your e-waste items direct to Cargill Enterprises for a fee.

• Energy efficient bulbs

  The move toward energy efficient lighting has seen a marked increase in the use of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in New Zealand households. These bulbs offer greater energy savings but are difficult to dispose of due to the mercury content.

  Compact fluorescent lamps or energy efficient light bulbs

  The first generation eco bulbs have begun to find their way to landfill and we, as well as lighting retailers, are fielding a lot of enquiries from the public as to safe disposal options for CFLs.

  Central Government has banned the importation of incandescent light bulbs from 2009. It is also illegal under our bylaws to knowingly dispose of hazardous material (such as mercury) in landfills. This means we have to make necessary infrastructure available to the public as recycling is the only safe way to dispose of CFLs.

  Where to recycle compact fluorescent lamps

  In the absence of an industry solution for the domestic householder, collection areas have been established in Dunedin as a means of keeping hazardous material out of landfill.

  CFLs can be taken free of charge at Customer Services in the Civic Centre and Green Island landfill. For safety reasons, bulbs must be intact, broken CFLs will not be accepted for recycling.

  As an alternative, some lighting retailers in Dunedin also now have a free of charge disposal bin.

  Please return the bulbs in their original cardboard packaging if possible.

  This service is for householders only. For business enquiries and services contact Interwaste phone 03 479 0079.

  For further details contact the DCC Waste Minimisation Officer phone 03 477 4000.

  Why recycle your compact fluorescent lamps

  CFLs contain, on average, 5 milligrams of mercury. Mercury is a heavy metal that is toxic to humans, the environment and all other life systems.

  It is not safe to dispose of CFLs in a bin or skip destined for landfill.

  CFLs are 100% recyclable - the glass and metal components are separated and recycled and the mercury itself is recovered and used in dental amalgam.

  How to clean up broken compact fluorescent lamps safely

  Handle CFLs with care! We strongly recommend that you use the following clean-up process if you break a CFL:

  • Open nearby windows for at least 15 minutes to allow the mercury vapour to dissipate.
  • Have people and pets leave the room, ensuring the affected area is not walked over.
  • Turn off central heating, heat pumps or air conditioning units.
  • Wear disposable gloves, dust mask to avoid inhaling mercury vapour and old clothes and dispose of them in a sealed plastic bag. Scoop up glass pieces and powder with stiff paper or cardboard - place all debris into a glass jar as the vapour can permeate a plastic bag. (It is the view of the Waste and Environmental Solutions Team to err on the side of extreme caution whereby we do not recommend vacuuming up the debris and thus sending mercury vapour into the air.)
  • Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes.
  • Dispose of any clothing or bedding that comes into direct contact with powder or broken glass.
  • Dispose of at the special waste section of Green Island landfill.

  Future Cleaning of Carpets or Rugs

  The next several times the vacuum cleaner is used, turn off any central heating, heat pumps or air conditioning units and open a window prior to vacuuming.

  Keep the central heating, heat pumps or air conditioning turned off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming has been completed.

Whether you’re a local or a visitor, please take care to recycle correctly. The success of the recycling collection depends on all those who use them. Please keep your recycling free from contamination and do not leave general waste at these sites.

Transfer stations

Middlemarch transfer station

At the Middlemarch transfer station we accept the following waste:

• General solid waste
• Cleanfill
• Rubble waste
• Car tyres (not available for commercial drop off)
• Scrap metal/whiteware
• Domestic quantities of mixed recycling and glass bottles and jars (these materials can also be taken to the recycling drop off location behind the Kissing Gate Café)

We do not accept:

• Special or hazardous waste (please take to Green Island landfill)
• Vegetation

Waikouaiti transfer station

At the Waikouaiti transfer station we accept the following waste:

• General solid waste
• Cleanfill (by arrangement)
• Rubble waste
• Car tyres (not available for commercial drop off)
• Green waste (collected separately for removal to Green Island landfill for composting)
• Scrap metal/whiteware (for recycling)

The following Items are accepted for recycling:

Yellow lidded mixed recycling bins:

• Rigid plastics 1, 2 and 5 ONLY (lids removed).
• Metal tins and cans.
• Paper, magazines, egg cartons and flattened cardboard.

Glass recycling bins:

• Bottles and jars – unbroken (please remove lids)

We do not accept:

• Special or hazardous waste (please take to Green Island landfill)