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Managing our Environment

Composting

When done correctly, composting is good for the environment because it recycles organic materials, is a great fertiliser and improves soil structure.

If you’re planning on running a composting operation of any size, there are some rules in the regional Water Plan and Waste Plan that you need to take into consideration.

These rules don’t necessarily mean you can’t run a composting operation if you don’t meet them; you may be able to get resource consent from us to allow you to run it appropriately.

If your composting does anything in the below list, get in touch with our consents team to find out if you need resource consent to help ensure there is no damage done to the environment.

  • Takes place on a property where the majority (51%) of material for composting is NOT sourced from that property
  • Takes place within 100 metres up or down hill of a well providing drinking water
  • Takes place within 50 metres up or down hill of any waterbody
  • Causes a nuisance, is noxious, dangerous, offensive or objectionable beyond the boundaries of the property
  • Is in a pit that results in groundwater seeping into it
  • Produces contaminants that can enter a water body directly or by overland flow*
  • Results in ponding (when liquids or materials aren’t absorbed into the soil)
  • Is on saturated land (when the soil is so wet it can’t absorb any more)

* Overland flow is the movement of water over the land, downslope toward a surface water body.

You can contact our consents team by emailing public.enquiries@orc.govt.nz or by calling 0800 474 082.

To view the full Water Plan click here. Rules that apply to composting operations come under 12.C.0.2

To view the full Waste Plan click here. Rules that apply to composting operations come under 7.6.12 and 7.6.13

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