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We are members of the community who oppose a Waste-to-Energy incinerator in Kaipara.

Join our community in standing up against the proposed waste incinerator in Kaipara!

Together, let's work towards a cleaner, sustainable future for all New Zealanders by opposing this harmful project. Your support can make a difference in protecting our environment and health.

What has happened so far... 

A timeline of events regarding the Kaipara WtE proposal:

▶ 26 April 2023

Kaipara District Council agreed to instigate a feasibility study of a waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator passed as a KDC notice of motion on 26 April 2023. It states it includes Far North District Council, Whangārei District Council, Te Uri o Hau, Northland Inc and Auckland Council as potential partners. Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson was previously involved in leading a failed incinerator project in Meremere back in 2000. Sustainable Kaipara, ZWN and Greenpeace all issued media statements in response to the motion.

▶ 18 July 2023

South Island Resource Recovery Ltd (aka “SIRRL” – the company involved in the Waimate incinerator) gave a closed-door presentation to Kaipara District Council, members of the Far North District Council and Whangarei District (including the mayors). We have sent a LGOIMA request to KDC about this meeting. Here’s what we got: a copy the company’s Presentation , the Councils’ Agenda and a photo image of the Northland Regional Council record of the meeting.

▶ 21 August 2023

North and South magazine published an article entitled A Burning Question which looks into the different sides of the argument for and against WtE, and takes a closer look at SIRRL - the company behind WtE initiatives in New Zealand.

▶ 10 March 2024

Whangārei’s Northern Advocate newspaper featured a story, “$730m Kaipara waste-to-energy plant for Auckland’s rubbish moves closer” in which Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson, claimed that “all the parts are coming together.” He wants fast track approval for the largest incinerator proposal in the country to burn 730,000 tonnes of waste. He claims it could be up and running by 2028.

▶ 4 April 2024

A follow up article of 4 April, “Government will need to make Kaipara waste to energy plant decisions: Mayor” shows that the Mayor may not have the support of the Mayors of Northland in the way he had stated.

▶ 17 April 2024

An article in the Local Matters (Mahurangi) newspaper says, “Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson believes a waste-to-energy plant in Kaipara would be “an excellent candidate” for the coalition government’s fast-tracking initiative, and has pledged to use every opportunity to promote it.” This is despite there being no support from any other council for his plans.

Also on this date, an answer to an OIA requesting information to KDC regarding Funding for a feasibility study for WtE, which states that the project is a Mayoral initiative (not council initiative)and has no funding allocated or proposed in their draft Long Term Plan

▶ 15 May 2024

On 15 May, Radio NZ reported that “Doctors warn: Human health risks from proposed $730m Kaipara waste to energy plant” saying, “A group of Canterbury doctors opposed to waste-to-energy plants being built in New Zealand is warning of major potential human health risks if one goes ahead in Kaipara, Northland.”

▶ 22 May 2024

On 22 May, the Northern Advocate wrote: “Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown bins talk of city’s rubbish fuelling Kaipara plant” noting that, “An Auckland Council Official Information Act (OIA) request response to Reed confirmed Brown had discussed the proposed plant with Jepson. But it said Auckland Council had not entered into any negotiations with the Kaipara District Council or the plant’s proponents, neither was there any timeline for sending Auckland’s rubbish to Kaipara.”

▶ 29 May 2024

KDC meeting - the WtE is being moved off of the councils agenda and will now be deemed a private-entity project (see youtube meeting from KDC https://www.youtube.com/live/gdC8Iiu1hwg from around 3:04:00).

While it may be "off the table" in terms of a council project, we are watching closely and continue to obtain as much information as we can to keep the community informed of any developments.