Controversial Te Awamutu waste plant would burn plastic and tyres

Tuesday, 17 June 2025

Hearings for Global Contracting Solutions’ controversial waste-to-energy plant in Te Awamutu began on Monday in Hamilton.

The man behind Te Awamutu’s controversial waste to energy plant proposal says he’s unhappy with the way waste is viewed in New Zealand and wants to create more products from what Kiwis throw away.

Global Contracting Solutions has applied to build a waste to energy plant in Racecourse Rd, Te Awamutu, with plans to incinerate more than 170,000 tonnes of waste and rubbish annually to generate steam to turn into electricity.

The more than $200 million project has been described by opponents as a “toxic incinerator” with rubbish being trucked in from outside the district to fuel its boilers.

Global Contracting Solutions director Craig Tuhoro Snr said used tyres, and most plastics, would be burned at his proposed plant near Te Awamutu.

Monday was day one of a scheduled three weeks of Environmental Protection Authority-run hearings on the widely unpopular proposal.

Of the 2173 submissions received, 97% were opposed, including Waipā District mayor Susan O’Regan who previously told the Waikato Times, “the last thing Te Awamutu people need is an incineration plant on their doorstep”.

A three-person independent panel, made up of chairman Brian Dwyer, Nicholas Manukau, and Myles McCauley kicked off proceedings at FMG Stadium in Hamilton where Global Contracting Solutions’ Craig Tuhoro Snr was the first witness called.

Before proceedings began, Dwyer said it was a “particularly serious matter and has stirred controversy in the community”.

An independent panel of experts, led by chairman Brian Dwyer, front - centre, will spend up to three weeks hearing submissions about the proposal.

“It’s our job to look at this objectively for that community,” Dwyer said.

However, Dwyer went on to say that simply not liking the proposal “is not a basis for it to be declined”.

Before being cross-examined, Tuhoro Snr’s lawyer Bronwyn Carruthers KC told the panel their evidence would show the vast majority of the proposed plant’s effects were “minor”, which would be proven by witnesses over the course of the hearing.

Lawyer for the Environmental Defence Society and Zero Waste Network Dhilum Nightingale asked Tuhoro Snr where he’d be getting the 78,800 tonnes of waste his company wants to burn each year, as well as what would be burned at the plant.

Tuhoro Snr said he’d be sourcing waste “from around the region”, which could include sourcing waste from other waste management companies, and district councils - “whoever wants to supply us”.

Nightingale asked him if he had discussed waste supply with any of the 19 councils in the central and upper North Island, to which he said “no”, but was confident he’d have enough supply to work with.

She then pointed out that there would be a lot of plastic waste, along with used tyres, burned at the plant. Tuhoro Snr agreed with her statement saying all plastics would be burned there, apart from PVC.

He said only metal would be recycled, which would then be exported for re-use.

Tuhoro Snr said he expected around six or seven staff would be sorting waste delivered to the plant to remove batteries and as much organic matter as possible.

He said the plant was a better option than sending waste to landfill.

Later in the day, GCS project manager Adam Fletcher said he was confident they’d find enough waste to burn, and had received “multiple expressions of interest from large waste management companies” in New Zealand to supply waste to GCS.

Fletcher said he was not in a position to say who those companies were due to commercial confidence.

Hearings will continue on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the panel will go on a site visit.