Asbestos Management Review

The NTLRBU and our landfill operator have been reviewing how we dispose of asbestos waste. The disposal by way of tipping wrapped packages into holes for burial creates an unacceptable risk on the site, with packages often bursting creating the risk that airborne asbestos fibres could harm site staff and disposers.

Over the last year the NTRLBU staff and operators have visited a range of other landfills around NZ and Australia to understand good asbestos management practice, and following these visits we are in the process of updating our Asbestos Management Plan and acceptance procedures.

The following changes are proposed and would be mandatory from 1 September 2025:

1)    Asbestos packages (suitably wrapped and labelled) must be lifted off or hand unloaded. They will be stacked in a dedicated asbestos area.

2)    Where a load has to be tipped off, then costs for management would actually be recovered (excavation of the hole, burial of the waste, and sprinklers to mitigate risks) historically this has not been charged over the gate fee.

3)    Disposers that can self-unload should have less restricted access times and greater flexibility. Disposers which require lift off or must tip, will have more restricted access times.

4)    As asbestos waste is not compacted like general refuse, bulky loads which in the opinion of the landfill team will not easily squash and are less than 0.5T/m3 will be classed as light waste.

We understand these changes will impact your businesses and operations. To have input on the changes and discuss queries, you are invited to a meeting at 10am Tuesday 17 June 2025 at the landfill weighbridge office otherwise please RSVP to landfill@ncc.govt.nz

If you would like to make any comments or discuss these changes, please send an e-mail to landfill@ncc.govt.nz