10 March 2006 Chapter 14 - Discharges of Waste to Land 14.2.4 Methods of Implementation Rules Rules make provision for the treatment and disposal of liquid waste subject to standards and terms. Education/ Promote strategies for minimising adverse effects associated Guidelines with the treatment and disposal of liquid waste. Monitoring Assess the adverse effects of existing treatment and disposal systems on land and water ecosystems. In particular, the Council will monitor surface and coastal water adjacent to permitted and existing treatment systems. Investigation Council will investigate the availability and practicality of alternative treatment and liquid waste disposal systems for use in the Marlborough Sounds. Regulation allows the disposal of human and rural effluent based on an approach which permits the discharge of on-site effluent within a specified volume where there will be minimal adverse effects on the environment. The Plan allows the discharge of treated waste subject to performance standards which seek to avoid soil and water contamination. 14.2.5 Objectives and Policies Objective 1 Recycling of waste materials or reuse on-site (including the storage of silage and composting of organic and green waste) in such a way that water and soil quality, land and water ecosystems and amenity values are not adversely affected. Policy 1.1 Encourage the recycling of waste materials and their reuse on site (domestic and horticultural composting and the making of silage). Policy 1.2 Mitigate odour, dust and contaminants arising from large scale composting and silage operations that discharge to land. Composting is a means of reducing the quantity of solid waste disposed of in landfills. It is estimated that approximately 40% to 60% of the Marlborough waste stream is compostable (eg; green material, fish waste and untreated sawdust). In addition to reducing the disposable component of the waste stream, composting creates a valuable resource that can be used for fertiliser or soil enhancer for home gardens, parks, forestry, agriculture, horticulture and viticulture. The Council recognises that composting will extend the life of the landfills, reduce contamination of water and the emission of landfill gases. Silage is a common practice for storage of animal feed and may create adverse effects similar to composting which need to be avoided, remedied or mitigated to prevent discharge of contaminants into land or water. 14 - 5