AgFirst - independent consultants to agriculture and horticulture

Solid Waste Analysis
Since 1991 AgFirst's Alan Street has been at the leading edge in solid waste analysis, providing central and local government throughout New Zealand with systems and information on the composition of the solid waste to landfill and recycling materials salvaged. (View landfill statistics and projections)

Highlights of this waste analysis work include:-

New Zealand Waste Analysis Protocol (NZWAP), 1991 - 1992

Alan was a key member of the team commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment to develop a suitable system to measure waste composition. Key criteria for the system were: - statistically robust, reliable, repeatable. Alan bought a practical and hands on approach to the team, while pulling in statistical expertise where needed.

Pilot trials were completed as part of the NZWAP at Christchurch City Council and Hurunui District Council. The resulting NZWAP was published by the MfE in 1992.

1994 - 1995 Waste Survey for Wellington Regional Council and 7 Local authorities.The first statistically robust regional survey in NZ.
1995 Waste Survey for Southland Regional Council and 3 Local authorities
1995 Waste Survey for Environment Waikato, Environment Bay of Plenty and 11 Local authorities. The first regional surveys in NZ to do 2 x seasonal surveys at each site
1996 - 1998 Waste Survey for Auckland Regional Council, 7 Local authorities and 2 private waste management companies

Waste survey for New South Wales EPA and 40 councils, 1997


With the wealth of experience AGFIRST has in field collection of waste data, AGFIRST was able to supply 3 leading hands for this project to lead 3 teams of people collecting data in a short period of time at a large number of sites.

Timaru District Council, 1995/6


The first Council in NZ to complete 4 seasonal surveys of the waste stream to landfill in a year. Solid Waste Analysis Protocol published by MfE in March 2002. An update to NZWAP 1992.

Christchurch City Council


Regular waste surveys completed 1991, 1994, 1999, and 2004. The first council in NZ, to obtain reliable waste composition data (1991). One of the few councils in NZ to monitor waste composition regularly and measure progress towards its own waste strategy. The first council in NZ to measure waste composition continuously for a 12 month period (July 2003 - June 2004).

View the Waste Management Institute of NZ article, written by CCC.

Results have ben published and are available at www.ccc.govt.nz/waste/policyreports.

The way forward - a useful model

In the future, managers of solid waste materials will require better information. Particularly as monitoring progress towards the targets set in the NZ waste strategy need to be demonstrated and reported on. AGFIRST is using the recently updated SWAP. In addition we have addressed seasonality and price by adding our own improvements.

  • Data on waste composition can now be collected continuously over a 12 month period at a cost effective price.
  • You will be able to answer all those "what if" questions, because you will be provided with your own copy of the checked data on spreadsheet.
  • Survey data will be related to your weighbridge data.
Approximately 38 survey cycles can be carried out in a year, with less than 2 staff. Now, more than ever, coordinated regional surveys will be more cost effective than in the past.

To explore your solid waste and landfill analysis options, contact Alan Street.

AgFirst Staff

  • Alan Street - Engineering Consultant, Traffic monitoring and waste analysis specialist