Gisborne’s mortuary waste statute is the first in New Zealand

For the first time in New Zealand, a commercial waste ordinance will be used to stop the “culturally offensive” practice of dumping deadly wastewater into rivers and oceans.

There are “eyes” on Gisborne as it uses the “unproven” method of removing mortuary waste from the city’s sewage network, which discharges treated sewage to Turanganui-a-Kiwa / Poverty Bay and sewage untreated city rivers in case of heavy rains.

Turanganui-a-Kiwa tangata whenua believes that it is “culturally offensive” for mortuary waste to be dumped into the sea and, together with the broader Tairawhiti community, have petitioned against the “abhorrent” practice for more than 20 years.

Mortuary waste is made up of arterial blood and chemicals that arise primarily through the embalming process.

On average, it takes about one cubic meter of water (1000 liters) to subject a body to the process.

The proposed statute will have mortuary service providers, such as funeral homes, separate the waste and store it on site before it is trucked to a council-approved facility.

It is recommended that debris be disposed of at the Taruheru Cemetery in a specifically designed Wisconsin mound system.

Leroy Pardoe, who chaired the sewage management committee meeting at the Gisborne District Council on Thursday, praised his colleagues and other groups involved for the “really excellent work” that had brought them to this point.

“It is very encouraging that this particular board is one that has always been able to work collaboratively, bringing the skills we need from our various organizations.

“I think it is pointing the way not only for other municipalities, but it allows us to lead the charge on what is a really significant part of the local infrastructure and of great cultural importance.

“I suppose the challenge for us looking ahead is how do we continue to progress the work that has started here.”

Council staff drafted the new charter in association with the KIWA group, a body created to provide cultural advice and technical support.

KIWA Group President Ian Ruru thanked the committee for moving the proposed draft statute forward to the next step.

“It’s a pretty big movement … We have been doing this for years and years, but I think nationally there are eyes on us,” he said.

District Councilman Larry Foster asked if there was a lot of interest and if other councils could implement the same protocols.

Ruru said they had been sharing progress at the national water workshops in Wellington and there was “great interest” from the Environment Ministry.

Cr Terry Sheldrake said the conversation started around 2015 and it seemed to be in place by 2022.

“Obviously, an incredible amount of work, thought and process has gone into this. I think it’s great that we are leading this across the country.”

The wastewater management committee approved the draft commercial waste ordinance at Thursday’s meeting.

It will go to the Sustainable Tairawhiti committee on December 10 and, pending approval, will go to a formal consultation from March to May 2021.

The council’s lifeguard director, David Wilson, said staff identified the commercial waste ordinance as the “cleanest method of removing mortuary waste from the public waste stream.”

Wilson said they had been consulting with funeral service provider Evans, Gisborne Hospital and Stonehaven, and were discussing “what the logistics looks like” in terms of numbers and volumes.

A staff report said the change would safeguard the Maori tikanga and support the Maori worldview.

It did not list the risks associated with the ordinance, saying it was the first time that a commercial waste ordinance had been used to ban mortuary waste in New Zealand and was therefore “not tested.”

Also at the meeting, committee members appointed new chairs following the resignation of former President and Councilor Amber Dunn in August.

Acting Chairman Leroy Pardoe and Cr Sheldrake are now co-chairs of the committee.