Council's stock truck effluent strategy wins award

Waikato Regional Council’s work to reduce the amount of stock effluent being discharged onto the region’s roads has been recognised with an award.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in New Zealand (CILT) award was accepted by Regional Transport Committee chairperson Norm Barker during a ceremony in Auckland last Wednesday.

The CILT Award for Implementation and Practice 2011 went to the council for its work last year developing the Waikato Regional Stock Truck Effluent Strategy 2010-16.

The annual CILT award goes to the organisation or team that has demonstrated sustained excellence in supply chain management/logistics/transport implementations and practice, including transport planning, with special emphasis on building relationships and developing strategic partnerships.

Cr Barker said Waikato Regional Council had worked closely with a number of stakeholders to address the issue of stock truck effluent in the region.

“The discharge of stock effluent from trucks has been an issue on Waikato roads for many years and poses road safety, environmental and health problems.

“The strategy’s content was developed last year and has since been widely accepted and acknowledged throughout the country. It contains 7 policies and 23 actions, but achieving the vision of zero effluent discharge onto Waikato roads by 2020 requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders,” Cr Barker said.

The council is continuing to work with the Regional Stock Truck Effluent Working Group, and in particular the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), to establish a network of least 10 effluent disposal sites in the region over 10 years.

Council staff have also been developing regional rating options for consideration during the 2012-2022 Long Term Plan. The public will then have an opportunity to provide submissions to the council on any proposal to use regional rating for stock truck effluent disposal facilities.

Effluent is spilled onto the road from stock trucks when the holding tanks are deliberately discharged or accidentally overflow. These sorts of discharges can cause traffic crashes if they make roads slippery or spatter on to windscreens.

Discharge is also a health hazard for cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians, and causes smelly and unsightly pollution on highways and road sides. Uncontrolled discharges of effluent can cause environmental problems if the effluent enters waterways.

Find out more about the Regional Stock Truck Effluent Strategy, which sets out the roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved with stock truck effluent: http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/Policy-and-plans/Stock-Truck-Effluent-Strategy-/