Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) councillors have approved modest waste fee increases for the 2024/2025 financial year.

From July 1, fees to dispose of waste per tonne will increase from $375 to $440 and cleanfill per tonne will rise to $110 from $100.

Most disposal fees (for things like green waste, car seats and batteries) are unchanged. 

The new prices will apply to users of the Wānaka or Queenstown transfer stations, whose waste is later sent either to the Victoria Flats landfill or a recycling facility.

A handful of additional price increases for tyre disposal may also come into effect in September.

Fees for tyres per tonne could increase to $593.50 from $564 and fees per tyre by 50 cents (for a car tyre) and two dollars (for a truck tyre). 

QLDC contracts manager Laura Gledhill said the possible change in pricing for tyres was the result of a national tyre product stewardship scheme.

From September the scheme will include collection sites like refuse transfer stations and QLDC may incur costs to comply with the requirements of the scheme.

Laura said the tyre product stewardship scheme was one of five “key drivers” for the need to review the fees and charge.

Another was an increase in the waste disposal levy applied by the Ministry for the Environment (from $50 to $60) per tonne.

“This levy is required to be collected and returned to the Ministry for the Environment for use in the promotion and achievement of waste minimisation,” she said. 

Laura said pricing decisions had taken into account unintended consequences of more significant increases, such as “an increase in illegal dumping”.

PHOTO: Supplied