Consultation on where we should send our green bin organics has now closed. People were able to provide feedback from 30 August to 1 October 2023. During this time, we heard from 2,764 submitters.

On 8 November 2023, the Council received all submissions heard deputations from 33 submitters.

At their meeting on December 6 Council, Council agreed to make the following changes to its short-term management and processing of mixed kerbside organics (this being Option 5 outlined below)

• Continue using the Organics Processing Plant site at Bromley for the first stage processing which means
  • indoors receiving and processing of the mixed kerbside organics
  • no outdoor storage of partially processed compost or fully processed compost; and
  • loading trucks from the tunnels indoors at the Organics Processing Plant site to transport partially processed compost to another site for the second stage of the processing.
• Contract with Waste Management to undertake that second stage processing at Kate Valley for maturation in outdoor windrows, screening and selling the finished compost.

Read the meeting agenda

Read the meeting minutes

The organic material – food scraps and garden waste – you put in your green bin gets turned into compost at the Organics Processing Plant in Metro Place, Bromley. This collection service is known as ‘kerbside organics’, and across the city we collect 55,000 tonnes of garden and food waste from the green wheelie bins. The plant also receives 5000 tonnes of organics from the Waimakariri District Council.

The Organics Processing Plant is owned by Christchurch City Council and managed by Waste Management which operates as Living Earth. Read more about the history of the plant and how it operates.

The Organics Processing Plant is near the suburb of Bromley. The issue of offensive and objectionable odours from the plant has been a persistent and longstanding issue for some residents living in areas near the plant.

Residents have told us the odour has a negative effect on their health and quality of life. This is why we’re seeking feedback on short-term options for managing mixed organics collected from green bins all over the city. Read more about the odour history.

We have identified five ways to manage mixed kerbside organics until we have a permanent solution.

There's no perfect option - increased emissions, rates increases and continued odour risks are some of the things we have to consider.

The five short-term options, in no particular order, are:

* Please note: Options 1 and 2 and 4 (if 4 involves disposal at Kate Valley Landfill) will need to achieve all necessary regulatory consents and approvals before either can be put in place.