Waste Management resource consent application - now withdrawn

Environment Canterbury has been asked by Waste Management Limited to refer its application for resource consent CRC194083, directly to the Environment Court (commonly known as direct referral), rather than have it proceed to a public hearing organised by Council.

Waste Management Limited’s request is in line with the provisions of the Resource Management Act 1991. Environment Canterbury has until 9 July 2020 to consider whether to grant this request. The Act does not enable submitters to the application to be involved in the decision whether to refer the application to the Environment Court.

If the request is granted and the applicant decides to continue with the direct referral process, the application and submitters would be heard by the Environment Court, rather than a panel of commissioners at a hearing. The application would also be determined by the Environment Court.

More information about the direct referral process is available on the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) website.

The Selwyn District Council will be offering a ‘Friend of Submitter’ for the Air Discharge Resource Consent application lodged with Environment Canterbury by Waste Management Limited for the proposed facility at 305 Marshs Rd. The Friend of Submitter will be providing assistance in relation to the Air Discharge application and will be generally familiar with the separate land use consent decision by Christchurch City Council, for information purposes.

Further detail of the proposal and process is included in the below FAQs.

Learn more about the consent application process under the RMA.

• Limited notified to 25 parties within a 500m of the proposed site boundary
• Submission date for 22 parties closes on 31 January
• A remaining three parties were identified more recently – the submission date for these parties closes on 24 February
• To date (28 Jan) we have received 16 submissions

Environment Canterbury can provide further information about the proposed waste management facility at 305 Marshs Road, Hornby South.

The proposed facility is next door to the existing transfer station at 301 Marshs Road, and will operate as a waste processing and stabilisation facility. It is intended that the proposed facility will eventually replace a facility located in Francella Street, Bromley.

The site of the proposed facility is zoned heavy industrial under the CCC District Plan, in which the proposed facility is a permitted activity. The CCC issued non-notified resource consents in December 2018 to Calder Stewart Industries covering issues such as noise, traffic and hours of operation. The application was dealt with on a non-notified basis as the area is zoned for heavy industrial activities and the proposed development largely complied with the zoning regulations.

Environment Canterbury issued non-notified resource consents to Calder Stewart Industries for earthworks associated with construction and discharge of stormwater in March 2019.

Like the District Plan, the Canterbury Air Regional Plan establishes rules and thresholds for activities and is developed with community engagement and participation.

The current resource consent application, for discharge of contaminants to air, was lodged with Environment Canterbury in March 2019. It was shared with interested parties including the CCC, Selwyn District Council (SDC) the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) and Rūnanga for their feedback.

The proposed operating hours of the proposed site are Monday - Saturday 5am - 8pm.

It is proposed that the site treat or manage waste including:

• Organic wastes, such as grease trap waste, vegetable fats and oils, and septic tank waste
• Hydrocarbon waste such as residues from paint, ink, resins etc. and diesel/oil-contaminated water
• Acid and caustic solutions containing heavy metals
• Laboratory waste
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Waste mineral oil (cleaned, processed water removal and balance sold)
• Small quantities of other miscellaneous wastes
• Used vehicle tyres
• Road sweepings and dirty water from hydro excavation

It is also proposed the site have a crush pit for oil sludges, greases, distillation residues and other high viscosity materials.

The main odour sources will be from organic waste processing plant (waste from grease traps, septic tanks, latex, wine industry, sugar and dairy) and heavy metal solution waste processing. All other waste management processes proposed for the site are unlikely to produce odours.

Other discharge that may occur from operations proposed at the site arise from:

• Treatment of pesticide and herbicides
• Decanting of solvents
• Heavy metal treatment
• Dust discharge from activities such as tyre chipping, and processing road sweepings and hydro-excavation wastes

Mitigations proposed to manage odour

• Treatment of waste will occur indoors with doors closed
• Air discharge will be treated by a biofilter and discharged via a ventilation system

Environment Canterbury has informed the current consent applicant that the proposed site has a higher risk of offsite odour complaints than the one it is intended to replace due to the higher amenity values, and because the industrial land has only recently been developed. The applicant has proposed to take daily odour observations and testing of waste material to manage potential odours.

Environment Canterbury's assessment of the consent for discharge to air

• Assessment of the consent acknowledges the potential for health impacts and for offensive or objectionable odours beyond the site boundary
• A range of guidelines were considered to establish who may be affected by the activity proposed in the consent application
• The guideline considered most relevant was for an industrial waste treatment facility – the facility proposed – which specifies a distance of 500m from the site
• On that basis, owners and occupiers of properties within 500m of the site are considered affected parties
• A distance of 1000m was considered but was considered too conservative due to the mitigation measures proposed
• 22 parties are within 500m of the site and are considered affected by the consent application. Those parties have an opportunity to make a submission under the limited notification process of the RMA and be heard at a Hearing

Environment Canterbury has also sought more information from the applicant

Currently, the consent application doesn’t provide total limits for storing or processing of pesticides, heavy metals and solvents. Environment Canterbury has sought further information on:

• Assessment of emissions of toxic compounds from the site
• Further information regarding the treatment of pesticides
• Limits on the amounts of solvents to be decanted onsite and the toxicity of them
• Limits on the amount of pesticides to be processed onsite
• A site management plan and detailed monitoring programme

Environment Canterbury ran a limited notified consent process involving 22 parties from 28 November 2019 to 17 January 2020. After concerns about mail delays from some submitters, Environment Canterbury has extended submissions for the 22 parties until 31 January. As of 20 January, 14 submissions have been received.

In March 2019, when it received the application, Environment Canterbury sought the advice of the CCC, the Selwyn District Council (SDC) and the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB). The CDHB noted when it replied in May 2019 the likely concerns from the Prebbleton community, but that mitigations proposed by the applicant should address those concerns. The CDHB advice, in full, supports the limited notification decision, as does other independent advice (see below). Environment Canterbury's assessment report can be also be viewed below.