This plan brings together what we know, what our communities have told us and what our whenua is showing us.

It sets a clear direction for the next 6 years - guided by kaitiakitanga and the responsibility to protect the health of our whenua, waterways and communities.

Under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, every council must have a Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

In Tairāwhiti, this plan goes further - shifting our focus from managing waste at the end of the line to preventing it in the first place. It prioritises recovering what still has value, reusing where we can and reducing long‑term impacts on people and place.

Our current waste system isn’t keeping pace with what Tairāwhiti needs.

Waste to landfill is increasing, resource recovery is declining and illegal dumping has risen sharply.

Most of our rubbish and recycling still has to be transported out of the region for sorting or disposal adding costs, emissions and vulnerability when transport routes are disrupted.

We also face ongoing challenges with legacy landfills that require monitoring and remediation, including priority decisions for sites like Waiapu and Tokomaru Bay.

For many of our rural communities, distance, limited options and higher costs make doing the right thing harder.

Despite this, people across Tairāwhiti are already leading the way towards a waste‑free future.

Marae, kura, community groups and local businesses are running composting workshops, repair and reuse initiatives and local recovery efforts.

The draft plan aims to support and connect this mahi - making it easier for everyone to do the right thing, whether at the kerbside, the farm gate or the transfer station.