What to do if there is an incinerator proposed in your community?

Learn what you can

The first step when you hear about an incinerator proposal is to find any more information. 

This could be an internet search of the company name, a look on the local or regional council website to see if there is any info, a search on social media, local newspapers, asking your local councillor, marae, library and with any local environment centre or local group. 

You may wish to make a request under the Official Information Act (OIA) and/or the Local Government Official Information and Management Act (LGOIMA) and ask for details. You can make a request directly to the agency by email. You can also use a site like FYI.org.nz that can help you with requests. 

Find other concerned people & groups

Finding other people who are concerned about the incinerator is the next step.

Let others know about what is going on and how they can connect with you. You might want to do a post on a local community social media page, write a letter to the editor of the local paper, and make contact with local business, councillors, and environment/conservation organisations.

Second, bring people together in a meeting to figure out what steps to take as a group. If the incinerator is just a proposal (not yet actually an application for consent), you can request the council makes any application publicly notified, meaning anyone can have a say about it. Educating your community is a big part of the work.

Make a plan

You are considerably more likely to win if you have a plan to win than if you don’t! 

Your plan doesn’t need to be big or complicated. But having a plan can help keep you on track and ensure that your time is used wisely.  Ensure you know what the time frames are for the project, particularly any official processes that are underway (e.g. consent applications).

See the resources below for help taking the next steps>>