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  3. Waikato and Bay of Plenty Cross Regional Waste Strategy and Waste Infrastructure Project
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The way we generate, manage and dispose of waste impacts our environment, especially through contaminated land, water and air.

Historically, infrastructure that can help prevent and mitigate waste has been developed ad hoc rather than being part of a coordinated plan.

To counter this, the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Cross-Regional Waste Strategy and Infrastructure Plan aims to reduce waste, recover resources, and transition to a circular economy.

This will be initiated in the first two years by Waikato and Bay of Plenty Regional Councils, supported by the Ministry for the Environment and seeking partnership and co-development with local government, iwi, community and industry.

The project

The Cross Regional Waste Strategy and Waste Infrastructure Project is a multi-agency project that aims to collaborate on waste and infrastructure strategies covering the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.

The project has two initial parts: 

Part One, the Waste Strategy, brings local government from across the two regions together to create a shared vision and high-level priorities. This strategy will guide  how local government collaborates and works together for shared waste prevention, minimisation and management outcomes.

Part Two of the project builds on the first steps, engaging with iwi, waste-related community organisations and industry groups to co-develop a waste infrastructure plan. The result will be a practical plan for the systems, facilities, and partnerships needed to support reuse, recovery, and circular economy solutions, as well as for waste management.

The overall aim of the project is to avoid and minimise waste, recover resources, and to create a system where infrastructure supports a circular, low-emissions economy.

Support

The project is funded by the Ministry for the Environment’s Te Pūtea Whakamauru Para Waste Minimisation Fund, Waikato Regional Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Timeline of the project

  • Part One - development of a waste strategy (April - November 2025)
  • Part Two - development of a waste infrastructure plan (November 2025 - April 2027)
  • Infrastructure plan implementation April 2027 - onwards
Map showing waste infrastructure in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions

Credit: Tonkin + Taylor