Spicer Landfill future options
The future of Spicer Landfill needs to change with consents to operate expiring in 2030. We’d like to hear your views on four options, and which one would be best for Porirua. This will enable us to gather and consider initial feedback, and then fully scope and design an interim preferred option in more detail. Each of the options has different costs and impacts on people, rubbish and rates.
The options we are asking for feedback on are:
Option A: Public refuse transfer station
This option would provide a facility for residents and small businesses (with cars, utes, trailers, vans and small trucks) to drop off waste that is then transported to another landfill. There would be recycling drop-offs and green waste services.
Option B: Public and heavy vehicle refuse transfer station
Similar to option A but with more space so commercial waste from large trucks can also be dropped off, with all waste then transported to another landfill.
Option C: Public and heavy vehicle refuse transfer station with clean fill disposal
This is the same as option B, with waste transported to another landfill, but option C would also have a clean fill landfill, which is limited to accepting earthworks or inert material, such as soils, clays, rocks, and gravel – materials that aren’t hazardous or odorous.
Option D: Close Spicer Landfill in 2030 with no replacement service
This option would see Spicer Landfill close at the end of June 2030 when the resource consents expire. There would be no alternative service provided by Porirua City Council and customers would need to travel to a transfer station or landfill elsewhere in the Wellington region to dispose of waste.
Impacts to consider:
- the type of bulk rubbish facility you want for Porirua
- the need to truck rubbish outside of Porirua if a transfer station option is chosen.
- loss of revenue from the closed landfill will have flow-on financial implications including:
- rates increase of at least 5% (depending on the option chosen)
- increased costs to drop off rubbish at the transfer station
- environmental benefits of closing the existing landfill and the environmental impact of the transfer station options.
Why is this happening now?
Consents to run Spicer Landfill expire in 2030. Previously we had planned to apply for consents to extend the life of the landfill beyond 2030. An increase in odour complaints from 2022 meant these plans had to be put on hold. Despite ongoing efforts, odour has continued to be an issue. The closeness of the landfill to residential areas and ongoing odour issues makes it unlikely that a new consent application to continue operating beyond 2030 would be approved.
As a result, we have been looking at other options and we’d like your thoughts on these. Four options have been identified. Three would still allow residents to drop off rubbish at Spicer Landfill, with the rubbish then transferred to another landfill outside Porirua. Some of the options allow for commercial rubbish drop off, and some don’t.
Each option has significant financial implications for rates increases and increased costs for disposing of rubbish at the landfill. That’s because the landfill currently generates enough revenue to cover all operational costs plus an annual surplus of around $4 million. This surplus is tracked via an accounting reserve and is earmarked for future solid waste capital expenditure. However, the cash from the reserve, is used to supplement other Council business and has the effect of reducing rates by about 4–5%. When those funds are needed either for capital investment, or repaying Wellington City Council’s share on dissolution of the joint venture, then Council will need to either increase rates or debt-fund the repayment of the reserve (or a combination of the two). Council will also need to determine the best way of balancing the overall budget without that $4 million surplus.
Options
We’d like your feedback on which of these options would be the best for Porirua. The 12-page consultation document on the right-hand side of this page goes into much more detail on each of the options.
The table below gives a summarised version of the options.
Each of the options has impacts for the city so we’d like to hear your views on which option you think has the least impact or is the best alternative, given the choices are limited. This will allow us to gather and consider initial feedback, and then fully scope and design an interim preferred option in more detail.
Further consultation on the interim preferred option next year, as part of the Long-term Plan consultation in 2027, will inform the Council’s final decision on whether to proceed with the interim preferred option or a different option.
Please note that in choosing its preferred option the Council will not be limited to these precise options but could decide on some variation.
Making a submission – submissions close Wednesday 25 March 2026
You can have your say in a number of ways:
Make an online submission at the bottom of this web page. You can also download a submission form from the right-hand side menu, under Consultation documents.
- by email to: submissions@poriruacity.govt.nz with “Spicer Landfill – Future Options” in the subject line
- by hand at:
our front counter at 16 Cobham Court, Porirua City
at any of our city libraries - by post:
Spicer Landfill – Future Options
Porirua City Council
PO Box 50218
Porirua City 5240.
Want to know more?
If you have any questions, or would like more information, please email spicerfuture@poriruacity.govt.nz or call on 04 237 5089.
If you are interested in the history of the landfill, check out the information on the right-hand side of this page.
