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Rubbish and recycling

Image of a blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin
Recycling bin

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Recycling - Auckland isthmus

Introduction

Auckland City Council provides a fortnightly kerbside recycling collection to all properties rated residential in the Auckland isthmus. Recycling is also provided for Waiheke Island and the Central Business District.

Recycling is a great way we can prevent waste from going into Auckland's rapidly filling landfills. Since the kerbside recycling collection started, you have helped us recycle over 48,700 tonnes of material instead of sending it to landfill. This was composed of 81 per cent glass, 10 per cent plastic, and 1 per cent aluminium and 8 per cent tin/steel (by weight) - which have been recycled into new products. This has saved us resources, energy, costs for raw materials and disposal, as well as creating jobs.

Recycling is the first step in 'playing your part' by sorting your rubbish.

Eligibility

Every property that currently has a red-lidded wheelie bin for household rubbish disposal will receive a blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin.

Bins belong to property - please, when you move house, don't take your recycling bin with you. Contact us to arrange a bin for your new home if you need one.

When is my collection?

Your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin will generally be emptied on the same day as your red-lidded wheelie bin.

Remember to place your bin at the kerbside before 7am. Click here to check your collection day and time.

TopWhat can I put in my blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin?

Please do not put materials for your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin in plastic bags.

Glass bottles/jars and their lids only. Please ensure items are rinsed. Please place wrapped broken items into your red-lidded wheelie bin. Image of glass bottles and jars
Glass bottles and jars

Image of plastic bottles and containers
Plastic bottles and
containers

Image of aluminium and tin cans
Aluminium/tin cans

Image of pile of paper recycling
Paper

Image of cardboard pile
Cardboard
Plastic bottles and containers, and their lids (grades one to seven from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry only), excluding
  • bottles that may have been contaminated with oil, fuel, weedkillers, etc, or
  • anything larger than 4 litres.

Please ensure containers are rinsed and squashed. Lids from plastic containers can be recycled so place these into the blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin as well.

The grade is indicated inside the recycling symbol (triangle) on the item.

Examples of bottles/containers in each grade are:

  • grade one - soft drink bottles
  • grade two - milk, cream and detergent bottles
  • grade three - food and cleaning material bottles
  • grade four - flexible squeeze bottles
  • grade five - icecream, yoghurt, margarine and chinese takeaway containers, strawberry punnets
  • grade six - shampoo, conditioner and moisturiser bottles, dip containers
  • grade seven - squeezable tomato sauce containers

Image of a recyling symbol Image of a recyling symbol Image of a recyling symbol Image of a recyling symbol Image of a recyling symbol Image of a recyling symbol Image of a recyling symbol

Read more about the recycling symbols and what they mean.
Aluminium/tin cans only - rinsed, squashed and with can lids safely inside.
Paper/cardboard - all cardboard and paper (including Tetra Pak cartons eg juice and milk cartons) except for

Window envelopes can be put out for collection.

Please put your cardboard and paper recycling in your new blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin.
 

TopWhat can't I put in my blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin?

See the A to Z guide of reuse, recycling and disposal for other disposal options.

Image of what can't go in your blue bin
What can't go in your
blue bin

These items will need to be squashed down where possible and put in your red-lidded wheelie bin.

Glass

These types of glass all contain other materials eg reflective material in mirrors, that make them unsuitable to recycle.

  • window, mirror, frosted, crystal and reinforced glass
  • light bulbs
  • pyrex and arcoroc tableware
  • broken glass - this should be wrapped to avoid injury to collectors before putting in your red-lidded wheelie bin.

Plastics

The following cannot be recycled

  • all plastics (excluding recyclable bottles and containers graded one to seven from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry)
    • as these are
      • more difficult to recycle
      • less environmentally and economically viable ie there is no practical market available and it is uneconomical to stockpile these types of plastic containers for sale under current market conditions and
      • often they are used to contain hazardous materials
  • meat and food trays
  • cling film
  • disposable nappies
  • polystyrene cups
  • fuel oil containers. Not acceptable because the fuel oil contaminates the plastic container
  • plastic bags - not acceptable because they easily blow away and often contain rubbish. For recycling options you can
  • toys, buckets, baskets
  • any container or bottle larger than 4 litres. The truck's compactors are unable to deal with the size of the container or thickness of the plastic

TopAluminium or tin

  • aluminium foil and food containers eg meals on wheels containers
  • paint tins
  • fuel oil containers
  • fridge parts
  • garden tools
  • aluminium pots and pans

Paper

  • shredded paper
  • paper that has plastic, wax or other greaseproof coating eg
    • carbon paper
    • photocopy paper wrappers
    • food wrappings/containers - as food is a contaminant

Shredded paper can not be put in your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin as it will clog the machines at the Materials Recycling Facility. Household quantities of shredded paper can be used in the garden compost as a mulch. Businesses with large quantities will need to contact a private collector.

TopAdditional material for recycling

If you have excess recycling, you can store it in your old blue recycling crate and empty into your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin for your next collection day.

Please do not:

  • place extra items next to or on top of your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin
  • put additional recycling out in your old blue recycling crate or any other container as these will not be collected.

TopBin is not emptied

If you put your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin out on the right day, (allowing for public holidays) but it was not emptied, it may be for one of the following reasons:

Image showing reasons why your bin might not be emptied
Reasons why your bin
might not be emptied
  • your bin was not put out on time. Bins put out after the truck has been will not be collected
  • if your bin is too full, the contents can spill onto the road and gutters when being emptied. The lid must be fully closed
  • cardboard is jammed into the bin. Flatten or tear cardboard boxes to save space and prevent jamming
  • your bin was outside the incorrect address. Bins will only be emptied if they are outside the correct address
  • your bin contained incorrect materials. You will need to remove these materials before your next collection
  • your bin is not place correctly. Place your bin correctly for your next collection
  • your bin was too heavy. Remove heavy items before your next collection
  • your bin is damaged. Contact us to arrange for it to be repaired.

If your bin was not collected for one of these reasons, you will need to rectify the problem, for example removing any material such as broken glass. You will have to wait and put your bin out again for the next week's collection.

If there is another reason your bin was not emptied, contact us for assistance.

You can view the following information to help you avoid these problems in the future:

Bin damaged

Bin lid won't close
The way the bins have been stored prior to delivery has in some cases caused the lids to warp slightly. The same problem occurred when the 120 litre rubbish bins were delivered in 2001.
The plastic will settle and resume it's original shape - you can place a heavy item such as a brick on the lid until it closes properly.
It can also help to put the bin out in the sun as the warmth will also help the lid to settle.
Please note: if the lid won't close due to missing/damaged lid pins, or the warping has not settled after one month, please contact us.

Bins will be repaired and or replaced at no cost to the resident if they are damaged during the collection. Normal wear and tear of the bin will also be repaired. If your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin has been damaged you can contact us to arrange for its repair or replacement.

TopBin stolen

Stolen bins will be replaced at no extra cost. To avoid this problem in the future please take your recycling wheelie bin in as soon as possible after your collection.

To avoid this problem in the future please take your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin in as soon as possible after your collection. For easy identification, your property number is located on the side of your bin.

Contact us if your blue-lidded recycling wheelie bin has been stolen and you would like to request a replacement.

Request additional

If the quantity of your recycling regularly exceeds the capacity of one recycling wheelie bin each week you may be eligible for an additional bin. View New recycling service - Auckland isthmus for more information.

Waste minimisation

While recycling is one great way we can prevent waste from going into Auckland's rapidly filling landfills, there are two more important ways:

Image of the Reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, treat, dispose logo.
Reduce, reuse, recycle, recover,
treat, dispose logo.
  • reducing the amount we create in the first place, and
  • reusing as much as possible.

Updated June 2008
Copyright © 2007 Auckland City Council. All rights reserved.