The Organics Processing Plant is a Council-owned composting facility in Bromley, operated by Living Earth. The plant receives all the food and green waste collected in the kerbside green bins.
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The future processing of Christchurch’s kerbside organics is set to change with the Council approving the establishment of a new organics processing plant, Ōtautahi Christchurch Regional Organics Processing Facility. On Wednesday 6 December, the Council approved Ecogas as the new long term organics processor, following a multi-stage procurement process. The facility will deliver a totally different system from the existing Organics Processing Plant (OPP) at Metro Place in Bromley through a fully enclosed operation and technology successfully used in cities around the world, including London, Sydney and Madrid. We’re continuing to empty the OPP site so there will be no stockpiling of material – which has been identified as the main source of odour. Read more on Newsline.(external link) Please find below links to two letters regarding the Organics Processing Plant. The initial letter is from Environment Canterbury Chief Executive Stefanie Rixecker to Christchurch City Council Chief Executive Dawn Baxendale. The second letter is the response from Christchurch City Council Chief Executive Dawn Baxendale to Environment Canterbury Chief Executive Stefanie Rixecker. Tuesday 12 December 2023 meeting: Tuesday 15 August 2023 meeting: Tuesday 16 May 2023 meeting: Monday 13 March 2023 meeting: Tuesday 15 November 2022 meeting: Tuesday 16 August 2022 meeting: Tuesday 17 May 2022 meeting: Tuesday 15 February 2022 meeting: 2023 newsletters: 2022 newsletters: We worked closely with Living Earth to develop a Transitional Plan [PDF, 759 KB] for the organics processing plant. The plan outlines odour mitigation measures that we have undertaken. As part of the transitional plan, we provided fortnightly updates to ECan with the progress made on the implementation of the proposed changes. Updates: What is the short-term option for managing kerbside organics? How will the short-term option work? Partially composted material would then be loaded into trucks directly from the tunnels inside the processing hall and transported to Kate Valley Landfill. Once at Kate Valley Landfill, the second phase of processing would occur with material matured in outdoor rows, screened, and then sold to the market. This process could be implemented by April 2024. When will the short-term option begin? Why can’t screening start at Kate Valley until April 2024? Will organics continue to be processed at the Bromley site? As of November 2023, work has been underway to clear existing material stored outside at the plant. The material is being transported to Kate Valley Landfill to be used as landfill capping material. This is expected to be completed by the end of December 2023. With the trucks coming in and out of the indoor processing hall, isn’t there a risk of odour escaping? What checks and balances will you have in place to ensure the OPP doesn’t produce odour? How much material would be shipped to Kate Valley for processing? Would you still be able to accept organics from Waimakariri District Council under the recommended short-term option? How much is the short-term option costing ratepayers? How did you come up with the short-term option to partially process organics indoors at the OPP, with the second stage off-site? How long will the short-term option be operating? Independent external environmental specialist Pattle Delamore Partners has carried out odour monitoring at the Organics Processing Plant 1994 Composting garden waste started at the Bromley site. March 2009 The plant started accepting and processing kerbside organics and food waste. June to August 2020 Operational changes to mitigate odour are carried out by the Organics Processing Plant and EcoDrop Transfer Station. EcoDrop carries out an independent review of data. End of August 2020 Environment Canterbury and Council considered how effective the operational changes have been in mitigating odour at the Organics Processing Plant and EcoDrop Transfer Station. Changes made by EcoCentral were found to be effective at reducing odour beyond the site boundary and Environment Canterbury deemed a resource consent was not required for the transfer station. September to November 2020 Redevelopment options are considered for Organics Processing Plant. The upgrade would see the plant's technology upgraded to allow for the majority of the composting process to take place indoors. December 2020 The Council approved a $22 million upgrade of the Organics Processing Plant. The upgrade involves redesigning and replacing the floors and doors of the plant’s 18 composting tunnels, replacing the shredder and improving the biofilter. The upgrades would ensure that all parts of the composting process would be fully enclosed, removing any potential odour or dust. December 2020 onwards The facility redevelopment option starts for the Organics Processing Plant. April 2021 The final stage of the tender process for the redevelopment of the organics plant, the Request for Proposal (RFP), was released on April 27 2021. The RFP gives selected contractors eight weeks to produce a design for the plant and provides a quote on the cost to carry out the work. A preferred contractor was expected to be selected in June, with the contract finalised in July 2021. May 2021 Transitional Management Plan developed with Living Earth outlining significant changes to operations at the Organics Processing Plant. Some of these changes included: September 2021 The redevelopment of Bromley’s Organics Processing Plant was paused after the Council voted to investigate building a new facility at another location. Work is underway to look at options for potential new sites and technologies before a report is due back to Council in April 2022. The option of redeveloping the existing plant is also still being considered. April 2022 The Council agreed in principle to relocate the organics processing operation to an alternative site. A report on the procurement process, for an alternative site, will be presented to Council in March 2023. March 2023 Council approved moving to the final stage of the procurement process to find a permanent alternative to the Organics Processing Plant. The final stage of the procurement process will involve the six shortlisted suppliers submitting a competitive bid through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Council will make a decision on the preferred supplier in December 2023. June 2023 Council decided to engage with the community and mana whenua on options for managing kerbside organics until a permanent solution is operational, including: (a) Sending some, or all, mixed kerbside organics to an alternative, or several alternative, commercial composting and wormfarm facilities if, and when, they have all necessary regulatory approvals; or (b) Sending some, or all, mixed kerbside organics to Kate Valley landfill, if, and when, Kate Valley has all necessary regulatory approvals; or (c) Continuing composting at the Organics Processing Plant with operational improvements Council indicated its preference was to end composting at the Organics Processing Plant as soon as reasonably, and practically, possible. 20 January 2021 Abatement notice issued to the Organics Processing Plant requiring that there be no offensive and objectionable odour beyond the boundary after 31 January 2022. 1 February 2022 Environment Canterbury issued Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) to the Organics Processing Plant. 2 June 2022 Environment Canterbury issued Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) to the Organics Processing Plant. 4 June 2022 Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) issued to the Organics Processing Plant. 31 August 2022 Environment Canterbury begins formal investigations into odours on eight dates. 19 December 2022 Environment Canterbury issued Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) to the Organics Processing Plant. 10 January 2023 Environment Canterbury issued Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) to the Organics Processing Plant. 15 January 2023 Environment Canterbury issued Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) to the Organics Processing Plant. 19 January 2023 Environment Canterbury formally notify Council it is investigating whether to take further enforcement action concerning odours on 10 and 15 January 2023. 26 January 2023 Environment Canterbury issued Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) to the Organics Processing Plant. 31 January 2023 Environment Canterbury issued Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) issued to the Organics Processing Plant. 1 March 2023 Environment Canterbury issued Notice of Non Compliance (NoNC) to the Organics Processing Plant. March 2023 Environment Canterbury issued infringement notices for the four January 2023 Notice of Non Compliance dates (10,15,26 and 31 January). Two infringement notices were issued per date with a combined fine per date of $1750. April 2023 Environment Canterbury issued infringement notices for the 1 March 2023 Notice of Non Compliance date. Two infringement notices were issued for the date with a combined fine of $1750. Resource consents allow people or organisations to do something that may have an effect on the environment, but this comes with conditions to protect the environment. Christchurch City Council holds many consents for its operations, some issued by Environment Canterbury (ECan). ECan monitors compliance of the resource consents it issues around the region. It conducts inspections to check consent holders are meeting their resource consent obligations. If there’s an issue, an ECan officer investigates to determine what actions should be taken, including enforcement. There is a range of enforcement actions that can be taken. Read more about Environment Canterbury's enforcement actions.(external link) The future processing of Christchurch’s kerbside organics is set to change with the Council approving the establishment of a new organics processing plant, Ōtautahi Christchurch Regional Organics Processing Facility. On Wednesday 6 December, the Council approved Ecogas as the new long term organics processor, following a multi-stage procurement process. The facility will deliver a totally different system from the existing Organics Processing Plant at Metro Place in Bromley through a fully enclosed operation and technology successfully used in cities around the world, including London, Sydney and Madrid. The Organics Processing Plant is a Council-owned composting facility in Bromley that is operated under contract by Living Earth. The facility receives all the food and green waste collected in the kerbside green bins. The plant has been operating under Living Earth since 2009 and has helped divert over 400 thousand tonnes of organic material from landfill. View the Organics Processing Plant operational process (May 2023) [PDF, 466 KB] As part of our Transitional Plan in 2021, we installed a time-lapse camera at the Organics Processing Plant so you could see the reduction in outdoor compost. Time-lapse videos:
Recent meetings, newsletters and updates
Organics processing moving out of Bromley - December 2023
Chief Executive letters - October 2023
2023 Community Liaison Group meetings
2022 Community Liaison Group meetings
Newsletters
Transitional plan updates
Your questions answered
The short-term option involves a two-step process with the first indoor stage of processing proposed to happen at the current Organics Processing Plant in Bromley. The second outdoor stage, where compost is matured and screened, is proposed to happen at Kate Valley Landfill.
The first stage would see kerbside organics being processed indoors at the Organics Processing Plant in Bromley. This involves mixing organics with garden waste, shredding the material, then moving the material into the composting tunnels.
This process could be implemented by April 2024.
Waste Management, who operate Kate Valley Landfill, would require a change to their resource consent to be able to carry out the second stage of the composting process. This is due to the increase in trucks shipping material to the site. This increase in truck movements means that Waste Management requires a variation to their existing resource consent to allow this activity to occur. It would be unable to achieve this prior to April 2024. In the meantime, organics will continue to be processed at the plant in Bromley.
Organics will continue to be processed at the plant in Bromley with the first indoor stage of processing being done there and the second stage off-site. We’re confident that there would be minimal risk of offensive and objectionable odour from this new process.
The processing hall will continue to operate with roller doors and under negative pressure with processing air treated through the biofilter before being discharged. The roller doors are designed to open and close quickly, multiples times a day, and will only be open when operationally required.
Living Earth will continue with their on-site odour monitoring and the Council will continue to engage external odour consultants Pattle Delamore Partners to conduct their proactive odour monitoring in the Bromley area. The Council will also monitor the site on an ongoing basis to ensure that no outside stockpiling of material is occurring.
About 40,000 tonnes of organic material will be transported to Kate Valley for the second stage of composting per year. This is about ⅔ of the total amount of organics being processed in the first stage at the Organics Processing Plant (60,000 tonnes). During the first stage of processing about a third of the organics is reduced due to material breakdown and moisture loss. This moisture is captured, passed through the biofilter and discharged.
Yes, under the recommended short-term option organics from Waimakariri District Council (approximately 5000 tonnes per year) will continue to be processed.
It is estimated to cost an additional $276,000 per year. This would be funded through existing budgets, where possible.
The recommended short-term option is the outcome of extensive consultation with the Bromley community, wider Christchurch residents and mana whenua. The desire to continue processing kerbside organics was strongly reflected in the consultation feedback. This option will ensure kerbside organics continue to be processed until the long-term solution is fully operational. The recommended option complies with our sustainability standards and the risk of offensive and objectionable odour on the Bromley community through this option is also very low.
Organics will continue to be processed at the plant in Bromley until the new plant is operational. The new plant is expected to be operational by late 2026.
Odour monitoring reports
2023 Pattle Delamore Partners reports
2022 Pattle Delamore Partners reports
Timeline of Organics Processing Plant operations
Operational changes made
Effectiveness of changes assessed
Redevelopment options potentially considered
Council approves organics plant redevelopment
Facility redevelopment option started
Final stage of tender process released
Council approves investigation of alternative sites for organics plant
Council agrees in principle to relocating the organics processing operation to an alternative site
Council approves final stage of procurement plan
Council approves public consultation on interim kerbside organics options
Timeline of compliance actions issued from 2022 to 2023
Notices of Non Compliance
Moving the organics processing operations
How the organics processing plant works