“Disappointed”: Opponents react to positive decision for waste-to-energy plant
Thursday, 2 May 2024
A group opposed to a proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District says it is disappointed by an OIO decision to grant consent for the company behind it to buy land for the project.
On Tuesday, the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) confirmed it had granted consent for South Island Resource Recovery Limited to buy a piece of land for the plant at Morven, in South Canterbury.
SIRRL applied to the OIO for approval to purchase 14.85 hectares of dairy farm land on the corner of Carrolls and Morven-Glenavy roads.
SIRRL is a joint venture between China Tianying Incorporated, which owns 60%, and a New Zealand company, Renew Energy Ltd, with 40%.
Why Waste Waimate spokesperson Robert Ireland said the group, which opposes the proposed plant, said members were “disappointed” by the decision of the OIO, which was made by the Minister for Land Information Chris Penk, and the Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour.
Ireland said the group also questioned why the “consideration” section of the report was withheld under the Official Information Act 1982.
“The OIO summary of SIRRL’s application approval, states that the ‘Minister of Finance has decided that the investment is not contrary to New Zealand’s national interests’.”
Ireland said the group did not agree with that statement.
“Burning waste to create modest amounts of electricity is providing another easy waste disposal option for the South Island, and locks us into a system where private companies continue to financially benefit from the production of waste for the next 35 years.
“How is that not contrary to New Zealand’s national interests in its attempts to move towards waste minimisation?”
The Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) website says some overseas investment consent applications are subject to a national interest assessment.
The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, reviews these transactions to determine whether they are contrary to New Zealand’s national interest.
Ireland also disputed the proposed plant would result in an “increase in jobs”.
“The proposal is to divert waste away from landfill for incineration. Although there may be an increase in jobs at Glenavy, the incinerator will be taking employment away from operating landfills elsewhere.”
Ireland said the “significant capital expenditure” of $350 million mentioned in the summary could be spent on “truly renewable energy production” or “initiatives to reduce waste, rather than burning and burying it”.
Waimate GP Dr Crispin Langston, part of an unofficial group known as Waimate Doctors which had been vocal in its opposition to the proposal throughout, said the decision seems to have been judged on one factor.
“Purely short term financial grounds rather than considering the environment and local communities wishes and safety.”
When contacted for comment, SIRRL director, Paul Taylor, said they had “nothing further to add” regarding the OIO decision.
“We are continuing to seek consent through the resource management consent process,” Taylor said.
In September 2022, SIRRL lodged resource consent applications with Environment Canterbury (ECan) and the Waimate District Council to build the plant.
In August 2023, then Environment Minister David Parker “called in” the resource consent applications by SIRRL at the request of the two councils and SIRRL.
The applications will be managed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), with the final decision on the project to be made by the Environment Court.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the EPA said SIRRL had been asked to provide further information by ECan which the company was working on.