Get it right on bin day
Reducing how much we send to landfill starts with using our Auckland Council rubbish, recycling and rukenga kai (food scraps) bins in the right way.
EcoMatters is partnering with Auckland Council to help people understand changes to their waste services and how to get the most from your Auckland Council bin family.
Your rubbish bin
Bin tag use to end
In Waitākere, from Monday 2 December 2024, you’ll no longer have to buy a prepaid tag for your Auckland Council rubbish bin. Instead, there’ll be an annual charge in your rates for this collection.
Plan ahead
You should start using up bin tags, before they are no longer being used in your area. Avoid buying more tags than you might need. Remember the changes in Waitākere start for bin collections from Monday 2 December 2024.
Tag refunds
There will be a limited opportunity to have up to three unused bin tags refunded if you have some left over. Check Auckland Council’s website for more information about when and how you can get a refund on bin tags.
The same across Auckland
This change is part of a move to ensure everyone across Tāmaki Makaurau gets the same rates-funded, weekly kerbside rubbish collection service. Other parts of Auckland will move to the same service during 2025. Find out more about why here.
Bin size options
The standard rate for rubbish collection for each household is for a 120L bin. But ratepayers can request a smaller 80L bin, or a larger 240L bin if that suits their needs better. Check the Auckland Council website for charges and how to request a different bin size.
Your rukenga kai (food scraps) bin
All Aucklanders should now have a rukenga kai (food scraps) bin to help them reduce how much rubbish goes to landfill. When food scraps go to landfill it produces methane and CO2, which are harmful greenhouse gases.
Food scraps that go into the rukenga kai bin are turned into clean energy and fertiliser at a special plant in the Waikato, so more kai can be grown. Learn more in this short video.
Educating our communities
You can help educate friends, whānau and community groups about the rukenga kia (food scraps) collection.
Host an event
Bring neighbours or community together, such as a street bbq, shared morning tea, coffee group or other get together. Your event must include discussion about the food scraps service, and the grant can be used to assist with the cost of a translator. You can apply for up to $500 to support an event, which can be held anywhere across Auckland. Find out more and apply here.
Become a bin ambassador
For six weeks, you’ll aim to encourage 8 -10 of your neighbours – from your street, row of units or apartment block – to use the food scraps collection service successfully each week. We offer a $300 koha for this valuable mahi.
Find out more about the Auckland Council food scraps collection.
Your recycling bin
What you can recycle is now the same right around Aotearoa, to make it easier for everyone.
YES – keep putting these in
The above items will always be accepted in your recycling bin. They include:
- glass bottles and jars
- plastic bottle and containers (1, 2 and 5 only)
- cardboard, paper
- steel, tin and aluminium cans.
You can check the recycling code on the bottom of plastic items to make sure they’re either 1, 2 or 5. Remember, they must be thoroughly rinsed out and clean before you place them in your recycling bin.
Find out more about the Auckland Council recycling collection.
talk rubbish with our team
Say hello to our bye bye bin tags team! From September until December, our engagement advisors will be out and about around Waitākere, talking to people about these changes. You may see them at a train station, outside a school or at a public event near you. If you do, come over, say kia ora and talk rubbish with our team.
Useful links
Find out how the changes will affect you Enter your address in this Auckland Council address finder tool to see when the changes are scheduled for your area.
How to get rid of unwanted items
EcoMatters accepts e-waste (charges apply) and other recyclable items. Or you can donate unwanted bikes to one of our bike hubs.
For other options, check Auckland Council’s guide to getting rid of unwanted items here.
Find the Binny app in your app store to check what you can recycle in your kerbside recycling.
Visit Waste Nothing to learn more about Auckland Council’s journey towards its aspirational goal of zero waste by 2040.
kia ora and THANKs to
