Tourism brochures for Norfolk Island spruik a pristine paradise, but an ugly quandary is dividing residents — whether to dump their used cars in the ocean or ship them back to Australia.

Key points: With fewer than 2,000 residents, the cost of removing waste from Norfolk island is prohibitively expensive

With fewer than 2,000 residents, the cost of removing waste from Norfolk island is prohibitively expensive The new regional council has seen waste dumping drop 70 per cent

The new regional council has seen waste dumping drop 70 per cent End-of-the-road vehicles are becoming a problem, as transporting them off the island by long boat is costly and dangerous

Situated 1,412 kilometres east of mainland Australia, the remote island has long grappled with the cost of processing its waste.

For decades, the remote island's official policy was to burn used cars and push them off a steep cliff into marine park waters, and unlike most mainland communities there is no household bin collection service.

Grappling with waste

Up until 2016, Norfolk's people governed themselves and relied on income tax from fewer than 2,000 taxpayers.

Under this model, rubbish was wholly incinerated and dumped in the ocean — a process that was driven out of financial necessity, according to the island's mayor Robin Adams.

"At the time we were 1,750 people who were looking after federal, state and local government responsibilities," Ms Adams said.

Hundreds of cars are stockpiled on Norfolk Island which is only 34 square kilometres in size. ( ABC News: Jessie Davies )

Now the newly-established Norfolk Island Regional Council has been installed to focus on roads, rates and rubbish.

Norfolk Island's mayor Robin Adams says its former government tried hard to develop a waste management strategy to stop the practice of burning rubbish. ( ABC News: Jessie Davies )

Sustainability is also back on the agenda, and dumping has been slashed by 70 per cent.

Aluminium is now exported off the island, glass is crushed for re-use, and an advanced compost system is on the way.

"We need to make sure the island stays as beautiful as it is for as long as possible," said the council's general manager Lotta Jackson.

Council is purchasing a metal baler to crush used cars and send them on their final journey to mainland Australia.

But shipping delays mean the infrastructure will not be working for many months.

Ms Jackson said she was focused on making Norfolk the best small island in the world.

"I think it's an excellent challenge to have. It's realistic. We can do this," she said.

Exporting cars costly, dangerous

The Norfolk Island Regional Council's decision to halt the car dumping practice for environmental reasons has not been supported by all residents.

As a descendent of the original Bounty mutineers, Jim Taverner is passionate about his tiny rock in the Pacific.

Norfolk Island Regional Council general manager Lotta Jackson says dumping has been slashed by 70 per cent. ( ABC News: Claudia Jambor )

"Put the cars back out in the ocean, let them break down and make a reef for the fish at a lot cheaper cost," Mr Taverner said.

He said the island was becoming littered with used cars. He worried the stockpiles would hurt its main industry — tourism.

"Norfolk Island is a beautiful spot but you arrive at the airport and the first thing you see when you look out the window is a pile of cars," he said.

Mr Taverner has owned an earth-moving business on Norfolk for decades and is experienced in the importation of industrial goods.

He said the cost and logistics of exporting Norfolk's car waste "doesn't make sense".

"If you've got a car and it's all crushed up, it will have razor-sharp edges. It's not going to be like transporting an ice cube," Mr Taverner said.

As Norfolk has no harbours, its sea-bound supplies are transferred to its jetties by traditional long boats.

Much of the island's waste is burnt before being dumped. ( ABC News: Nathan Morris )

Rough seas regularly prevent the transfer of cargo and, Mr Taverner argued, there was no direct shipping service to Australia. All cargo must go via New Zealand.

"All of this, and does Australia want our waste? No," he said.

When asked, Norfolk Island Regional Council did not provide the ABC with the cost of exporting its crushed cars.

A spokesperson said the logistics and cost of removing metal waste from the island were dependent on the situation at the time, the amount, and the weight.

Norfolk's waste up in flames

Karli Christian's mountainous island home boasts many vantage points. From any lookout, the horizon is dotted with smoke from small backyard rubbish fires.

Many residents opt to burn waste on their own properties to avoid the local council's waste management fee. ( ABC News: Claudia Jambor )

Four days a week, smoke rises from Headstone Point. That is where Norfolk Island Regional Council burns residents' household waste including paper, cardboard and plastic.

Even though it has stopped burning and dumping cars off this same cliff, the ash from incinerated waste continues to be deposited into the sea.

Ms Christian, a cafe owner, applauded the council's move to export used cars.

She wants the council to go one step further and ban the practice of rubbish incineration to stop small fragments of plastic washing up on the island's beaches.

"I hate it — especially when the oceans are our world — without them everything will go," Ms Christian said.

She said the size and remoteness of Norfolk Island meant residents were more in tune with their waste streams.

"Over (on the mainland) it's just out of sight and out of mind, whereas here we know where it goes," she said.

"We'd rather deal with it here correctly than ship it to Australia and it go to landfill.

"It's about finding the right ways to do it."

A new wave for Norfolk

Claire Quintal co-owns Prinke, an eco-store that aims to reduce waste by specialising in wholesale goods and reusable items. ( ABC News: Jessie Davies )

Locals say the past decade has not been kind to Norfolk Islanders.

Prolonged tough economic conditions have forced dozens of family-owned businesses onto the market, and a handful of shops along its central business strip stand empty.

But there is one bright, bold new business in town that bears a distinctly Norfolk name — Prinke.

Meaning 'grateful' in the local language, Prinke sells bulk food and provides shoppers with zero waste options.

Co-owner Claire Quintal said she was proud to represent the next generation of business owners with a sustainable outlook.

"I think I am seeing a shift [in attitudes towards waste] and I think that's a global shift that's happening. People are moving towards a more sustainable way of living," Ms Quintal said.

Having previously worked in waste management, Ms Quintal was excited about the council's new focus on sustainable waste management.

"I think when all of the systems are up and running, and when they've got the education and information out there on how to really enhance that and reduce their waste, it will be great," she said.