Auckland City Council Media release

12 June 2008

Extra recycling bins for eligible properties on request

Auckland City Council's City Development Committee has agreed to provide additional recycling bins to eligible isthmus businesses and residential ratepayers at a modest cost.

A report to the committee today recommended that provisions be made for businesses and residents currently paying the annual waste charge to purchase additional 240-litre recycling bins if they require the extra recycling capacity.

The additional recycling bins will only be provided if they can be stored on the premises prior to collection day.

City Development Committee chairperson, Councillor Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says with the new recycling service starting on Monday, 30 June, some businesses and multi-tenancies have indicated that one 240-litre recycling wheelie bin may not be enough to meet their needs.

"The council is not in the business of recyclables collection from commercial activities. The 240-litre recycling bins are for household quantities of recyclable material only and we have provided them to businesses so that staff can recycle everyday household recyclable items such as newspapers, milk containers and aluminium cans," says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

"Should businesses have large amounts of paper and cardboard waste that exceeds the capacity of the recycling bins provided, they should make other collection arrangements with private operators.

Councillor Lotu-Iiga said larger families may also require a second recycling bin due to the amount of recyclable material they have and these will be provided upon request at a cost.

The cost for an additional recycling bin is not finalised but is expected to be between $50 to $60 including GST annually.

The new recycling service, which sees the blue crates being replaced by a 240-litre recycling wheelie bin, will collect all plastic containers from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry marked with any of the symbols 1-7, aluminium and steel cans, glass bottles and jars, and paper and cardboard together in the one bin.

"Paper and cardboard must now only be put in the recycling bin for collection - not left loosely on the kerbside," says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

"Businesses should ensure that arrangements made with private contractors include paper and cardboard collection from the property and not from the kerbside. We are trying to keep the city tidy, and businesses and residents leaving loose material on the kerbside will be contacted by council waste officers as part of an education programme. Persistent offenders could face a $400 fine for illegal dumping if they do not comply with the council's tidy streets policy."

The committee also approved the report's recommendation that smaller, more manageable 120-litre blue-lidded recycling bins be made available to residents who have difficulty with the 240-litre bin, at no additional cost.

"We are asking people to try the 240-litre recycling bin first to see if they can manage it. In circumstances where people cannot manage the 240-litre recycling bin, the council will provide a 120-litre bin instead. These cases will be assessed on an individual basis by our council officers."

ENDS

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