Solid waste

Why it's important

Waste prevention and recycling offer significant potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the impact on the environment of storing and managing solid waste in the long term. Recycling, reuse and composting also conserve natural resources including trees, metals and water.

Key points

• In the year to June 2018, Selwyn recycled 39% of all waste, as kerbside recycling and green waste (excludes cleanfill).
• Christchurch recycled 31% of all material in 2018, a much higher proportion than in previous years.

Note this is an interactive chart and you can select the legend items to change what is shown on the graph.

Note: Cleanfill has been excluded as Christchurch City no longer collects this data. Selwyn recycled 1,017 tonnes of cleanfill in 2018. See the data tables for data over time.

Commentary 

Recycling hard materials and green waste has been possible in Greater Christchurch for over twenty years.

Christchurch City has the largest amount of waste and recycling (due to population/city size). In the year to June 2018, 282,147 tonnes of solid waste went to landfill from Christchurch. Selwyn sent 18,646 tonnes to landfill over the same period.