Two large Dunedin employers say a proposed new trade waste bylaw could impact on their future viability in the city.
At a Dunedin City Council trade waste bylaw subcommittee hearing yesterday, Cadbury Confectionery and Graeme Lowe Otago both said the cost of complying with the new bylaw would have a significant impact on their businesses.
The proposed bylaw has been criticised by sporting clubs and church groups, saying it would put undue costs on them and lump them into the same category as a commercial business.
But businesses also criticised the bylaw yesterday, saying more consultation needed to take place and the time limits set in the proposed bylaw were too short.
Cadbury Confectionery Ltd Dunedin operations manager John Booth said the proposed bylaw would place unreasonable costs on business in Dunedin.
He said the committee should recognise the contribution Cadbury made to the Dunedin economy.
In its written submission, the company believed the changes it needed to make to its business to meet standards set by the bylaw would cost more than $300,000, which was described by Mr Booth yesterday as a "significant" cost.
The submission said the cost imposed through the bylaw would introduce uncertainty into the existing Dunedin business, and could have a major negative impact on future investment opportunities for Cadbury in Dunedin.
Cadbury Confectionery Ltd environment and safety manager Neil Rosier said the company had reduced its energy use by 25% per product, and water use by 40% per product.
Unfortunately for the company, this had led to higher concentrations of solid waste, well above consent limits, he said.
Mr Rosier said the company already had a robust trade waste management plan in place.
He said the company had limited consultation with council staff and would have preferred to discuss the issue with staff before appearing at the hearing.
A longer transitional period was needed, more than the year suggested by council staff, to allow the company to invest in the equipment and get it installed.
It also wanted a 10-year period for consents, not five years as indicated by the council.
Graeme Lowe Otago manager Brynn Coffin said if the company had to choose between doing business in Dunedin and somewhere else, then somewhere else was more attractive.
The company runs a tannery in Green Island, with a staff of 65.
After Auckland, Dunedin had the highest trade waste charges in the country, he said.
He said Dunedin does not do much for the business and the council did not even know the business existed.
Mr Coffin said the company had spent $4 million in the past three years on its waste system.
Trade waste restrictions because of limited capacity at the Green Island wastewater plant was risking the future of its business.
Hearing panel chairman Cr Andrew Noone said the council was aware of Graeme Lowe Otago and was a valued business in the community.
Cr Noone was joined in the panel by Crs Dave Cull and Kate Wilson.
Any charges and fees brought in through the bylaw would be handled in the annual plan process, Cr Noone said.
The panel reserved its decision.
