New location for organics processing plant

The Council has agreed in principle to the relocation of the organics processing operation to an alternative site.

The decision at today’s Finance and Performance Committee meeting will see staff spend the next 10 months working through procurement processes to produce a shortlist, including options for location, partnerships, joint ventures and commercial opportunities for the future processing of organics.

A report back on the short listed alternatives, compared to the redevelopment of the current site, will be presented to Council by the end of February 2023.  

A report will come back to Council in a month on the full net cost and implications of stopping operations at the current organics processing plant immediately.

We hope that the decision to progress the options for the relocation of the organics processing operation to an alternative site will be welcomed by your community. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work through the next stage in this process. 

Here is a link to the NEWSLINE story with more information. Below are some FAQS that might be of interest to you. 

Why have you chosen a new location for the organics processing plant?

We recognise that the organics processing plant has been identified by the Bromley community as contributing to the long-standing odour issues in the area. Despite improvements over the last two years to mitigate odour, last month a petition with 316 signatures was presented, calling for the organics processing plant to be moved out of Bromley.

The Government has also announced a proposal for the separate collection of food waste – both commercially and residentially – which could increase demand for processing facilities. 

We are now in a position where we need to think ahead and work out what will be the best option long-term option for Christchurch. It is the Council’s view, at this stage, that given the sensitivity of the current location, relocating the plant to an alternative site is preferred.  

We hope that the decision to progress the options for the relocation of the organics processing operation to an alternative site will be welcomed by the Bromley community. We thank the community for their patience and understanding while we work through the next stage in this process. 

Where are you moving the organics processing plant to?

There is currently no preferred site for a new organics processing plant. Over the next 10 months we will be working through procurement processes to produce a shortlist, including options for location, partnerships, joint ventures and commercial opportunities for the future processing of organics. A report back on the short listed options will be presented to Council by the end of February 2023.  

What impacts will the Government’s recycling consultation mandating separate organics collection have on your decision?

The government’s Transforming Recycling consultation proposes separate collection of food waste – both residentially and commercially, which could increase demand for processing facilities. As a result it is likely there will be more options for us to consider now than there was at the end of last year.

What is the next step?

Following today’s decision staff will be working on a procurement plan for Council approval. Once approved, the procurement process will continue through the rest of 2022. A report back on the short listed options, compared to the redevelopment of the current site, will be presented to Council by the end of February 2023.   The new Council will then be able to make the final call on the preferred option for the organics processing plant. A report will come back to Council in a month on the full net cost and implications of closing the organics processing plant immediately.

Why will it take so long before you move the plant?

The procurement process needs to be robust to ensure we are exploring all options for potential alternative sites along with commercial and partnership opportunities.  If the Council opted to build an organics processing plant on another location, the process of investigating, consenting, procuring and constructing a new facility would take a minimum of three years. However there are variables within this that would fall outside of the Council’s control, realistically extending the timeframe to four or five years. If we looked to partner with an existing operation this timeframe may potentially be reduced.

How much will it cost to build a new plant?

Until the procurement process is completed, the cost of the preferred option won’t be known.

I thought you had done the investigations into alternative sites over the last seven months. What’s taking so long?

Over the last seven months Council has worked with an independent consultant to do early investigations on potential sites and technology combinations. The preliminary investigations have shown us that alternatives to the current site are feasible.  Now we will start the procurement process to produce a set of shortlisted options so Council can make the final call on the preferred option for the organics processing plant.

We appreciate that the timeframe for this investigation and procurement process is lengthy, however this is a significant piece of work so we want to ensure councillors have all the information they need to make an informed decision on the future of the organics processing plant. Whatever decision is made, we need to ensure the organics processing plant is fit for purpose – including having the right location, technology, cost and climate impacts.

We hope that the decision to progress options for an alternative for the future processing of organics will be welcomed by the Bromley community. We thank the community for their patience and understanding while we work through the next stage in this process. 

Stay updated

We want everyone to be able to stay updated on developments at the Organics Processing Plant. If you know of anyone who would like to receive this e-newsletter they can subscribe online.

If you have any questions, or would like further information on the project, please call us on 03 941 8999 or 0800 800 169 or email bromley@ccc.govt.nz  

No quick fix to wastewater treatment plant stench

After thorough investigations we've determined there's unfortunately no quick fix to the stench coming from the fire-damaged Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Council staff presented their findings into a range of options to address or reduce the offensive smells to the Finance and Performance Committee today - including the possibility of using de-odourising mist.

Due to the dangerous mix of chemicals and compounds involved, or the harm they could cause the environment, these options have been ruled out and the best way to stop the stench is to remove the material from inside the filters.

We're in the closing stages of appointing a contractor to start the huge job of removing the material from inside the trickling filters and will provide a further update on this shortly.

You can read more on Newsline.

Later on today you'll be able to watch the staff presentation to the Finance & Performance Committee on demand via our YouTube channel. 

You can also find a comprehensive list of Q&As around the wastewater treatment plant situation here.

To receive regular updates on our recovery progress at the wastewater treatment plant you can subscribe to an e-newsletter by visiting this webpage.