Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council
Environment Canterbury has returned the resource consent applications for a proposed waste to energy plant from South Island Resource Recovery Limited.
Overall, this is due to insufficient information being supplied regarding the proposed activities of the plant and their effect on the environment.
This information is required under Schedule 4 of the Resource Management Act (RMA), with the application returned under Section 88(3A).
Waimate District Council has also returned applications for the same proposal.
Environment Canterbury has informed South Island Resource Recovery Limited of the decision.
Environment Canterbury consents planning manager Aurora Grant explained that the key concern was the lack of information regarding the scale and potential effects of the proposed activity.
“This is a very large proposal. It’s the first of its kind and scale in New Zealand and one that includes many activities that could impact the environment.
“This includes significant discharges to air from the burning of large volumes of plastics and other municipal, construction and demolition waste. We require more information to understand these effects.
“For a project of this size and complexity to proceed, we need detailed information to enable us to process the consents. There is fundamental information missing, meaning the application is incomplete.”
More specifically, Environment Canterbury identified incomplete information in the consent applications on the impacts to cultural values, groundwater, surface water, air quality, stormwater discharge, and odour.
The applicant has the right to object to the decision to return the applications under s357 of the RMA if it is lodged within 15 working days following notification of their application being returned.
Download the South Island Resource Recovery return letter (PDF File, 234KB)
