A Dunedin mayoralty candidate has also expressed strong doubts about the council’s preferred plan it is pitching to the public — developing a Smooth Hill landfill and proceeding without any private partnership.
Meanwhile, the council has decided to press on with developing a materials recovery facility at Green Island for recycling, after it had received an alternative proposal.
Waste matters have been both to the fore and discussed behind the scenes this week, and loom as an election issue.
The Otago Daily Times became aware of an email received by council chief executive Sandy Graham and it was disclosed on Wednesday. In it, a consultant for the new Taiko landfill, near Timaru, suggested a discussion about "a potential change in direction of the future of waste management in Dunedin".
GHC Consulting director and principal environmental engineer Dave Hanan noted the potential price tag for ratepayers if the council proceeded at Smooth Hill, near Brighton.
"In my view, this decision needs to be well tested before committing to such a significant expenditure, particularly looking at the alternatives, which, to be fair to council, were not available when decisions on the future of waste were being made."
The private landfill was commissioned in December and had since received 60,000 tonnes of waste, Mr Hanan said.
Its development was driven by Canterbury Environmental Solutions Ltd and Mr Hanan drew attention to what he said was a cost disparity between the facility and the proposed Smooth Hill development.
The council has said it considered building Smooth Hill, and without a private partner, would be the best long-term option financially for the city.
Exporting waste had been calculated to be more expensive.
The Future Dunedin political ticket for this year’s council elections, led by businessman Andrew Simms, doubted pushing ahead with Smooth Hill would be the best financial call.
"Information provided to Future Dunedin suggests that this capital expenditure and increase in debt is unnecessary when a cheaper, safer option exists," Mr Simms said.
He highlighted the AB Lime landfill near Winton in Southland, arguing Dunedin waste could be accepted there and this would have a cost advantage.
Money included in the council’s 2025-34 draft long-term plan for public consultation for Smooth Hill could instead be used to renew essential infrastructure or for boosting South Dunedin flooding defences, he suggested.
A South Canterbury landfill was highlighted by Cr Lee Vandervis during a council infrastructure services committee meeting on Wednesday.
He also raised objections to an item described as Green Island commercial matters being discussed in the non-public part of the meeting.
The council disclosed afterwards it had received an alternative proposal for a materials recovery facility, but it would continue with a proposal for this to be at the Green Island resource recovery park.
