Christchurch City Council says the earthquakes that reduced much of the inner-city to rubble have left it with 20 years worth of waste to deal with.
The council says there is a disposal plan in place and it will recycle as much as possible.
Rubble is being sorted at the Burwood Recovery Park and material that cannot be re-used is being sent to the Kate Valley landfill.
The council says the face of the city has changed, with more than 350 dangerous buildings now marked for demolition, part-demolition or safety repairs.
A further section of the central city has re-opened with the lifting of the cordon over Zone 7 - the area between Madras Street and Barbadoes Street.
