However, an Invercargill councillor said negotiations with the company, which employs people with disabilities, were ongoing — while Gore will recycle only glass and cardboard in the short term.
In March, the WasteNet Advisory Group announced Invercargill, Southland and Gore councils could not find common ground on its shared recycling contract and would pursue their own options for the provision of the service.
Wastenet chairwoman and Invercargill city councillor Alex Crackett said late last week her council was "progressing constructively" in the talks.
An Invercargill’s Infrastructure committee meeting would be held before the end of the month to consider the new contract. "There is nothing to suggest that will have a gap between services," she said.
Gore District Council Mayor Tracy Hicks said from July 1 council would have a different system for recycling. It would be a "short-term" solution as the council had not found another option, he said.
Once a month they would have a yellow bin glass collection
Cardboard could be delivered at Gore transfer station or Pakeke Lions Club.
"Apart from that we won’t pursue recycling in the short term because we simply don’t have any option to make any sort of step financially.
"We are waiting for an initiative to come from Government that might be a national solution for waste."
Southland Mayor Gary Tong said no decision has been made and discussions about the matter continued in his council.
Southland disAbility Enterprises general manager Hamish McMurdo said he could not comment given talks were ongoing. He was confident they would reach an agreement with Invercargill’s council and said the company was open for discussions with the other councils.
Last year, Wastenet decided to close a controversial recycling tender process after councils did not reach an agreement. Southland and Gore district councils voted for the company Smart Environmental as preferred tenderer. The Invercargill council did not support it.
