Community turns out to waste-to-energy plant information sessions, as opposition group plans protest

As the company behind a controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant near Waimate fronted up to members of the public at the first of six information sessions on Tuesday, a group opposed to the plan was preparing to protest.

More than 20 people attended South Island Resource Recovery Limited’s (SIRRL) first public information session on the proposed $350 million plant, held at Glenavy Hall on Tuesday. It was at times heated, with some attendees leaving before it had ended.

The last time the company held such sessions was in September 2021.

SIRRL director Paul Taylor was joined by international energy-from-waste expert Herman Sioen, and Paul Duder, of Babbage Consultants, who all addressed those gathered.

The meeting started with introductions, with Taylor speaking first and addressing why the company had taken so long to return to the community.

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“It was not acceptable to return without all the technical reports prepared,” he said.

Another reason he gave, was the process involved with the resource consent applications for the project.

The process has been paused since Waimate District Council and Environment Canterbury returned SIRRL’s second applications for the proposed plant in late December due to “insufficient information” – in particular, a lack of a Cultural Impact Assessment (CIA).

Early last month, SIRRL confirmed it had filed an objection against both councils for returning the applications a second time.

Speaking about the CIA in the meeting, Taylor said the company had always maintained a CIA was “necessary and important”.

He then explained why the Waimate District, in particular Glenavy, was chosen as the location of the plant, citing the central South Island location and proximity to the main rail line.

Duder followed, explaining his role with Project Kea. When they were first approached about the plant they looked at it sceptically and did their “due diligence” to learn more about the plant, he said.

Babbage Consultants Limited were engaged by SIRRL to prepare the resource consent application for the establishment of the plant.

“It gave us the view that there is a high chance that it [the plant] is a good thing for New Zealand,” Duder said.

Duder said after becoming involved in the project, one of his roles was to facilitate and co-ordinate the various experts to look at the plant.

Sioen spoke about the history of waste-to-energy plants in Europe mentioning that Belgium had 15 waste-to-energy plants.

The questions came flooding in when they opened up to the attendees with the first question being what kind of waste would be incinerated at the plant to which Sioen said it would be municipal waste.

Following that one of the attendees left the session and was followed by another shortly after.

Waimate District councillor Lisa Small attended, but not in her capacity as councillor.

Small asked if the technology used in the Waimate waste-to-energy plant would be the same as that used in Europe.

Sioen responded that the technology in the Waimate plant would go beyond those found in Europe.

Other questions centred onpossible toxins released from the plant, the land being prone to flooding, the sorting of waste, and the health and environmental impacts of such plants in Europe.

Other questions asked pertained to the monitoring system of the plant, the safety features in place if emissions exceeded safety standards, what would happen to the land if the plant failed, and why the plant has not been planned closer to a bigger city like Christchurch.

One attendee asked whether the company would leave, if the majority of the community did not want the plant.

Taylor replied, saying over time the community would see the benefits of the plant.

Following the meeting, Taylor said there were certainly good questions asked and also lauded the detail people had gone into before asking questions.

Why Waste Waimate spokesperson Robert Ireland confirmed the group would hold a protest march in Waimate at 12pm on Wednesday.

The group will start at St Patrick’s Catholic Basilica Church car park on Queen St and would march past the Waimate District Council before heading to the Waimate Event Centre where SIRRL will hold its public information sessions.

Ireland said the group will have a free sausage sizzle and planned to share information with the public.

SIRRL’s information sessions at the Waimate Event Centre on Wednesday run from 11am to 12.30pm, 1-2.30pm, 3–4.30pm and 5–6.30pm.