To: Waimate District Council and Environment Canterbury

Oppose the Waste-to-Energy incinerator in the Waimate District

You and 3,185 others signed our Greenpeace petition that asked you to oppose the building of a waste incinerator (waste-to-poison) plant in Waimate by South Island Resource Recovery Limited (SIRRL).

SIRRL have recently had a set-back because their intended land purchase in Waimate has fallen through so, without a site, they will not be building their gigantic incinerator here.

🎉. On 23 February WWW members celebrated the likely ending of the current SIRRL application.

Last week, on 26 February 2025, the combined WWW Petitions were presented to Environment Canterbury (ECan). The total signatures had risen to 6,037.

🌪️ Although SIRRL’s current proposal has faltered, WWW are concerned that SIRRL has a Plan B – i.e. another land purchase in the pipeline - and will try to abuse the current application process by changing the site address.

WWW believes a new location means that the entire application process must be started again. Fast Track rules are vague so we cannot say what is possible.

What you can do...

Keep fighting incinerator proposals...
⭐️ Support the community of Te Awamutu, at Don’t burn Waipā, who are currently going through a Board of Inquiry process to review a waste incinerator proposal for the centre of their town.
⭐️ Ensure you continue to oppose proposals for incinerators anywhere in New Zealand.

Thank you again from us all at WWW
whywastewaimate.com

We call on the Waimate District Council (WDC) and Environment Canterbury (ECan) to submit to the Environmental Protection Autority (EPA) against 'Project Kea', the proposal to build a huge polluting rubbish incinerator in the Waimate District.

Why is this important?

'Project Kea' is a Waste-to-Energy project that would incinerate large volumes of waste. If constructed the plant would truck in 365,000 tonnes of waste annually to burn and generate modest amounts of electricity.

Waste-to-energy plants release dangerous chemicals and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 'Project Kea would produce the equivalent CO2 emissions to an extra 100,000 cars on the road each year. Toxins that come out of the incinerator include dioxins, heavy metals, and particulates, which all pose a serious risk to human health.

🔥
Waste-to-Energy plants use vast amounts of resources to operate. 'Project Kea' would use 2.5 million litres of fresh water each day, 365 days a year, and burn in excess of 100,000 litres of diesel each year. Waste-to-Energy does not remove the need for landfills, as it requires the landfilling of 100,000 tonnes of toxic ash annually.

Beyond that, the plant will build in the need to find and supply more waste to feed the beast. Constant demand incentivises the creation of more waste and discourages zero-waste efforts. This moves us away from a more circular economy, acting within the limits of the natural environment.

Waste-to-Energy is an outdated waste disposal method that European countries are moving away from. The Waimate plant would be the first ever built in Aotearoa, but it could pave the way for more.

South Island Resource Recovery Limited's (SIRRL) proposal to build 'Project Kea' was to be decided in the Environment Court. However, the Government has included the proposal in its list of 149 projects for fast-tracking, removing it from the Environment Court and taking with it community input.

💚 This petition demonstrates our local support for our elected representatives to oppose 'Project Kea. If you oppose false solutions such as Waste-to-Energy, and want a more circular economy, please sign!

Find out more about the problems with waste-to-energy: https://zerowaste.co.nz/waste-to-energy-incineration/

Partner

Why Waste Waimate

Links

Campaign Facebook Page Campaign Website

Updates

2025-03-07 12:14:15 +1300

Petition is successful with 3,186 signatures

2024-10-19 08:35:43 +1300

1,000 signatures reached

2024-08-24 20:34:40 +1200

500 signatures reached

2024-04-30 13:41:53 +1200

100 signatures reached

2024-04-29 20:57:26 +1200

50 signatures reached

2024-04-24 21:26:56 +1200

25 signatures reached

2024-04-24 13:04:55 +1200

10 signatures reached