A report demonstrating the use and societal value of the waste disposal levy (WDL) spend by territorial authorities has been released.
The report, commissioned by the WasteMINZ Territorial Authorities’ Officers (TAO) Forum, outlines the benefits obtained through the territorial authorities’ current levy allocation. It provides a deeper understanding of the levy fund impacts and benefits, and to highlight potential, possibly unforeseen, consequences of a reduction or removal in levy allocation.
As part of the research, a survey was conducted with territorial authorities, with responses from 29, representing 71% of the waste levy allocation. Key themes identified included:
- 90% of survey respondents use their levy funds for resource recovery services such as kerbside recycling and organics collections, which are long term commitments.
- 76% of survey respondents indicated services would be reduced if their levy allocation was reduced.
- 72% of survey respondents indicated that they had actions in their Waste Minimisation and Management Plans (WMMPs) that are dependent on levy funds increasing.
- Territorial authorities support working with central government to further develop measures to report on the impacts of their levy investment, both direct waste minimisation and indirect broader benefits.
The report also contains several regional case studies further demonstrating the benefit of territorial authorities administrating their levy allocation to best meet the needs of their communities.
You can find a copy of the WDL Research Report here.
The TAO Forum represents council waste officers working in 64 territorial or unitary authorities, and provides a united voice on waste-related matters. It was established to create consistency and efficiency of service amongst territorial authorities through sharing knowledge and best practice.
