NPDC residents are being reminded to make sure their kerbside recycling and landfill bins are out no later than 7am on collection day.

The reminder comes ahead of Waste Management NZ starting as the new waste contractor for New Plymouth District on 1 October.

“It’s always been the message to have bins at kerbside no later than 7am for the majority of the district, but we also know some people leave it to the last minute, only put them out when they hear the truck or they may nip home to bring it back in at a certain time,” says NPDC Manager of Infrastructure Rui Leitao.

“One of big focuses of the new contractor is to be more efficient and improve service levels so they have been reviewing routes, which means trucks could be on your street earlier or later than you are used to and we don’t want people to get caught out.”

The only exception to the at the kerb by 7am advice is for residents on the city’s one-way system, around Lynmouth Park and on streets around Taranaki Base Hospital who should continue to have their bins out by 6am.

Collection days are not changing.

“We ask for patience during this transition and to only contact us if your bin is still full after 4pm on your collection day,” says Rui.

Bins still full after that time should be left at the kerb so it can be emptied the next day.

In December last year Taranaki’s three councils announced that Waste Management NZ had been awarded a 10-year contract, which for New Plymouth District sees them responsible for:

• Kerbside collection of residential recycling, landfill and food scrap bins.
• Operation of transfer stations at Inglewood, Ōkato, Tongaporotu and Waitara. The New Plymouth Transfer Station on Colson Road will continue to be managed by Enviro NZ.

Benefits of the new contract for New Plymouth district residents include:

• More fuel-efficient trucks and two electric collection vehicles.
• Smaller trucks to service difficult to access streets.
• Fewer trucks on the road as glass and food scraps will be collected by the same truck.
• Improved facilities at rural transfer stations, to ensure they continue to meet community needs.
• An increase in recycling bin auditing across the region to reduce contamination.

Fast facts

• Close to 31,000 households throughout New Plymouth district receive our kerbside rubbish and recycling collection service.
• Of the 14,500 tonnes of waste collected from kerbside in the last financial year, more than 40 per cent was diverted away from landfill.

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