Rubbish collection and recycling
When and how rubbish is collected from your home will depend on where you live, so talk to your neighbours or contact your local council for details. Most councils provide rubbish bags that can be bought from supermarkets and these must be left on the footpath outside the home for collection on a specific day each week. A small number of councils operate a bin system and increasing number of councils also provide/sell special bins for curbside recycling of paper, glass and plastics.
Garden rubbish or large items are generally not collected by councils rubbish collection services so these should be taken to the local tip which is a council-run refuse collection centre. There will usually be a fee for this service.
Call your local council for information on rubbish collection and disposal services.
If you live in a rural area, you are responsible for the disposal of your own rubbish, however this does not mean simply digging a hole on your own land and burying it!
All land including private land is subject to resource restrictions, to ensure activities do not create hazards for other citizens and future generations. If you have material that you are unsure how to dispose of, call your local council.
A new government funded collection system for televisions, mobile phones and other electronic goods was announced in 2011 but the commencement date is yet to be advised. However, community e-waste drop-off options do already exist in many regions for which there is a small charge per item. You can find out more about this network at www.e-cycle.co.nz
Freight-container-sized rubbish skips can also be hired. Look under ‘Rubbish Bin Hire’ in the Yellow Pages.
It must be noted that littering or dumping of rubbish of any description is illegal and can result in heavy fines.
Residential Rubbish and Recycling – North Shore
North Shore City Council provides rubbish, recycling, paper and cardboard collection services for all households in North Shore City.
Rubbish collections
Household rubbish is only collected if it is in an official prepaid rubbish bag. The orange 40 and 60 litre bags can be purchased from supermarkets, dairies and major service stations. The price of the bag covers the cost of collection and disposal of your rubbish.
All official rubbish bags from residential and business properties in North Shore City are collected and taken to the Redvale landfill, 30km north of Auckland in the Rodney District.
Rubbish, recycling and paper/cardboard is collected between 7am and 5pm on weekdays. To ensure your rubbish is collected, place all items on the kerbside by 7am.
See the North Shore City Council website for information on rubbish, recycling, inorganic and public holiday collections as well as business rubbish and recycling.
Getting your rubbish ‘right’
- Tie your rubbish bags up securely
- Keep rubbish bags to a reasonable weight (40 litre bags up to 10kg, 60 litre bags up to 15kg)
- Do not put garden waste in your rubbish bag
- To deter animals from ripping the rubbish bags, put them out on the morning of collection, not the night before
- To save money on rubbish bags try reducing, reusing and recycling as much rubbish as you can – see Reduce Your Household Waste for ideas.
Recycling
Recycling involves separating and collecting useful materials from your rubbish so that they can be manufactured into new raw materials and products.
Recycling reduces waste and landfill costs and makes better use of our natural resources. You can help the environment further by choosing products in recyclable packaging.
All North Shore households are provided with a recycling wheelie bin for recycling plastics, glass, aluminium/steel cans and aerosol containers.
If you do not have a recycling wheelie bin or it has been damaged in any way please contact Actionline on (09) 486 8600 or by email actionline@northshorecity.govt.nz
Residential recycling is collected every fortnight. See the household rubbish and recycling calendar under ‘Related Documents’ on the website for your recycling week.
Items for your recycling wheelie bin:
- All plastic bottles and containers with the numbers 1 to 7 in the recycling triangle can be put out for recycling. This includes ice cream containers and lids, yoghurt bottles, dip containers and takeaway containers
- Glass bottles and jars (no broken or window glass and no mirrors)
- Aluminium and steel cans
- Aerosol containers (remove plastic top)
- Where possible, items should be washed and squashed so that more can fit in your mobile recycling bin
Examples of plastics that can be recycled
Code/Number Common Uses
1 – PET Soft drink and water bottles, salad domes, biscuit trays, shampoo bottles, detergent bottles, squeezy bottles, fruit punnets, fruit juice bottles, liquid soap containers, household cleaners and vitamin containers.
2 – HDPE Milk bottles, vitamin containers, fruit juice bottles, detergent bottles, sunscreen bottles, shampoo bottles, dishwashing powder container and household cleaners.
3 – PVC Detergent bottles.
4 – LDPE Squeezy bottles, ice cream container lids and plastic plates and cups.
5 – PP Dip containers, ice cream containers tubs, margarine containers, plastic plates, cups, large yoghurt containers and cutlery, and squeezy bottles.
6 – PS Large yoghurt containers, yoghurt bottles, dip containers, ice cream container tubs and lids. *Does not include polystyrene meat trays, foamed polystyrene hot drink cups and polystyrene packaging
7 Squeezy bottles, plastic plates and spreadable butters
Paper and cardboard recycling
Paper and cardboard can be recycled, but does not go in your recycling wheelie bin.
Dos Don’ts
Put paper and cardboard in plastic bags and tie handles together or bundle and secure with twine or string Tetra pak cartons, waxy paper or items covered in food are not recyclable
Put paper and cardboard on the ground beside your recycling wheelie bin Do not place paper and cardboard in or on top of your recycling wheelie bin
Please consider those using the footpath when putting items out for collection – put your recycling on the kerbside wherever possible and leave 50cm between bins so contractors can retrieve the bin easily.
Items not for recycling:
Polystyrene – unfortunately, North Shore City Council does not yet have a market for polystyrene packaging. This means that items like polystyrene meat trays, foam hot drink cups and polystyrene fillers should not be put out for recycling even though they may have a recycling symbol on them. These items should be broken up and put in the pre-paid rubbish bags.
Plastic bags – please do not put plastic bags in the recycling bin as the council does not yet have a market for them.
Hazardous items – for information about the HazMobile and hazardous waste collections go to the HazMobile website.