The management of hazardous wastes : issues and implications for New Zealand

Abstract

The study undertakes an examination of the adequacy of management of hazardous wastes in New Zealand. Current practice is examined under four headings - legislation, regulation, practice and administrative structure Recommendations are made for a substantial revision of hazardous waste practice under all of the management headings outlined above.

Current practice in OECD countries with more substantial hazardous waste problems than New Zealand, are used as a basis for comparative analysis of several aspects of waste management in New Zealand. Topics developed by comparative analysis include the technical requirements for effective management and legislative/administrative practice.

People are an important aspect in management. Community awareness/participation is introduced together with the associated land-use planning implications that are involved in siting hazardous waste facilities. Finally, a discussion is introduced of both who should manage hazardous wastes and how wastes of this kind should be managed in New Zealand.

The major conclusion of the study is that New Zealand is inexperienced in managing hazardous wastes. As a result, current management is inadequate in many respects. Legislation provides almost no basis for effective management because hazardous waste is not specified as a waste stream requiring special control. At the regulatory level no standards exist for hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities nor for transport of hazardous waste. Current New Zealand practice of codisposal is regarded by several countries overseas as the least desirable of the alternative disposal options that exist.

The New Zealand administrative structure for hazardous waste management lacks a single authority with central responsibility and distributes regulatory control throughout a large number of agencies without any co-ordination.