Whenua purunga Landfills

We currently monitor a number of consented cleanfill sites and 'Managed Fill Sites' throughout the Auckland Region, that are allowed to accept low-level contaminated waste. Some are accessible to the public, while others are private.

There are three different types of fill sites:

• Cleanfill – for natural materials such as clay, gravel, rock and soil from areas that are not contaminated with chemicals (this can include small amounts of construction material)
• Managed fill – designed for material with low-grade contamination
• Landfill sites – for heavily contaminated materials and all refuse-type material, such as household and kerbside waste, commercial and building waste, and certain types of hazardous waste (for example, asbestos-containing material).

Disposal of contaminated material is tightly regulated and can only happen on licensed sites.

Resource consent is required for these landfill sites, usually with stringent conditions, and all sites have a council monitoring scheme in place.

The operator or consent holder of the filling site must have management practices and robust documentation to demonstrate that all fill brought to the site meets the requirements of the consent.

Fill site operators are required to provide evidence, generally through an annual or six monthly report to us, to confirm:

• which materials are being brought to the site, and that
• fill processes are done in accordance with consent conditions. This includes having fill samples tested at an independent laboratory. Any discharges from the site (such as surface water and ground water) are also tested to determine any risks to the environment.

In some cases after a landfill is full, we can design and implement strategies to remediate and rehabilitate closed landfills for use as active or passive recreational open spaces and wildlife refuges.

This list includes clean-fill, managed-fill, and sites which have on-going discharge from historical landfill activity.

The landfill sites are not operated by the council. To find out which sites accept fill, you can search the internet for 'clean fill' or 'managed fill'.

If you need a customised report, email

rcregulatorysupportcentral2@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

and put 'LANDFILL' in the subject heading.

The cost of a customised report is calculated based on the actual time spent preparing the report, according to our hourly staff charge-out rates.

​Fees are indicative only and are subject to change.

Closed landfills are sites that have been used for the disposal of contaminated materials and are now full or closed (shut down). We still monitor some of these sites.

If you are considering purchasing land that contains a closed landfill (which is usually a contaminated site), you need to be aware of the liability associated with the site – it may include the costs of clean up, regardless of when the site was contaminated.

For more information, you can consult the Guide to Landfill Consent Conditions (PDF 1001KB) and the Guide for the Management of Closing and Closed Landfills in New Zealand (PDF 692KB) published by the Ministry for the Environment.

It is important for the environment that filling sites are monitored and managed properly. Illegal dumping incurs a fine and, in some cases, prosecutions.

If you witness dumping of fill into sites or areas you think may be unconsented, call

Call Auckland Council helpline on 09 301 0101

You can take rubbish or waste one of Auckland’s transfer stations rather than going to landfill.

Read about how to dispose of hazardous waste, including asbestos.