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Kerbside Recycle Right programme

From 1 September 2026, we are introducing a four-step education process to help you recycle correctly, keep your kerbside recycling service working well and keep our recycling system working well for everyone.

  • Current rate of items that can't be recycled: 27%
  • Our approach: Education first, further support if needed
  • The process applies to the yellow Hangarua | Recycling bin only.
  • Our focus: Helping everyone recycle right with confidence

Right items. Right bin. Right result.

Why recycling right matters

When items that cannot be recycled are placed in a kerbside recycling bin, they can affect the recycling process. In some cases, an entire truckload of recycling may be rejected and sent to landfill.

Recycling correctly helps to:

  • keep recyclable items clean and usable
  • protect collection and processing teams from hazardous items
  • reduce waste going to landfill
  • protect recycling equipment from damage
  • make the best use of available landfill space

Recycling keeps valuable materials in use for longer, reduces waste and helps protect our finite natural resources by reducing the need for new materials.

How the Kerbside Recycle Right programme works

Our collection contractor carries out regular kerbside bin checks to identify items that can't be recycled through the kerbside service.

If an item that cannot be recycled is found, your bin will be tagged and we will provide information about what was found and what needs to change.

What happens if my recycling bin is tagged?

If an item that cannot be recycled through the kerbside service is found in your yellow recycling bin, your bin will not be emptied on that collection day.

A tag will be placed on your bin explaining what was found that could be recycled.

  1. Check the tag.
  2. Remove the item or items listed.
  3. Put your yellow recycling bin out again on your next scheduled collection day.

If you are unsure about what the tag means, contact our team for help.

Four stages of Kerbside Recycle Right programme

What happens - A tag is applied to your recycling bin to let you know what item or items couldn't be recycled.

Your next step - Remove the item or items listed on the tag and put your yellow recycling bin out again on your next scheduled collection day.

Our goal - Help you understand what needs to change.

Stage 2 - Further Support

What happens - A tag is applied to your recycling bin to let you know what item or items couldn't be recycled, with a letter explaining the next step.

Your next step - Read the letter, follow the information provided and put your yellow recycling bin out again on your next scheduled collection day.

Our goal - Reinforce the information and support correct recycling.

Stage 3 - Final reminder

What happens - A tag is applied to your recycling bin to let you know what item or items couldn't be recycled, with a letter explaining the next step.

Your next step - Read the final reminder and make sure your next recycling collection contains only accepted recyclable items. Contact our team if you need help.

Our goal - Give you a final opportunity to correct your recycling before your recycling bin is temporarily removed.

Stage 4 - Temporary recycling bin removal

What happens - Your recycling bin is temporarily removed. You will need to collect approved clear recycling bags form one of our council service centres, so your recycling collection can continue.

Your next step - Use the approved clear recycling bags for your recycling collections until your recycling bin is returned, and make sure your recycling is clean, dry, loose and contains only accepted recyclable items.

Our goal - Protect recycling quality while supporting you to get your recycling back on track.

green line

A flyer included with the letter of explanation (described in the steps above), will link to the full information on this page. Any customers unable to access the website will be able to collect a printed recycling guide from any of our Council Service Centres.

The aim is to support you with information to recycle correctly, keep your recycling service continuing as usual and keep our recycling system working well for everyone.

What happens while your recycling bin is temporarily removed?

Your recycling collection service continues. You will use approved clear recycling bags instead of your yellow recycling bin.

You will need to collect the approved clear recycling bags from your nearest Council Service Centre.

You will receive three approved clear recycling bags for each recycling bin covered by your property’s rates.

Place your clear recycling bag out on your usual recycling collection day. You can put out one bag for each recycling bin removed from your property per collection.

Getting your recycling bin back

You can have your recycling bin returned after you have presented three consecutive recycling collections using the approved clear recycling bags, containing only accepted recyclable items.

Our Waste Minimisation Team will review your recycling collections to check that:

  • You have recycled only accepted items
  • Your recycling is clean, dry and loose
  • No items have needed to be flagged across the three collections

If everything is in order, you can apply to have your yellow recycling bin returned to your property.

Good to know

  • Letters are sent to the property address where required.
  • If a property changes ownership, the recycling service is reinstated for the new owner.
  • New tenants are encouraged to contact our team if they need help with their recycling service.

What goes in your recycling bins?

✓ Clean aluminium cans and tin cans

✓ Clean rigid plastic containers graded 1, 2 and 5

✓ Paper, Newspapers and magazines

✓ Clean, flattened cardboard boxes with food removed

Remember

  • Rinse containers before recycling.
  • Remove lids from bottles and jars and put the lids in your rubbish bin.
  • Keep plastic containers and cans in their original shape. Do not squash them.
  • Put recycling into the bin loose. Do not put recycling inside plastic bags.

Find out more about Hangarua | Recycling

✓ Clean glass bottles - clear, green or amber

✓ Clean glass jars - clear, green or amber

Remember

  • Rinse bottles and jars.
  • Remove lids.
  • Keep bottles and jars below the top of the crate.
  • Wrap broken glass in paper and put it in your rubbish bin.

Find out more about Karaehe | Glass

✓ Meat, fish, small bones and cooled fat

✓ Egg shells and soft shells, such as prawn shells

✓ Bread, pastries, cakes and biscuits

✓ Coffee grounds and tea leaves but not tea bags

✓ Fruit and vegetable stalks and peels

✓ Rice, grains, cereals and noodles

✓ Leftovers and plate scrapings

✓ Spoiled food and dairy products

Place food scraps directly into the bin. Do not use plastic bags, compostable liners or add liquids.

Find out more about Para Kai | Food Scraps

Household waste that cannot be reused, recycled or composted belongs in the rubbish bin.

This includes:

✓ Plastics graded 3, 4, 6, 7 or no graded number

✓ Wet wipes, nappies, sanitary and incontinence products

✓ Bags, bin liners, cling film and food wrapping

✓ Glass medicine and perfume bottles,

✓ Light bulbs,

✓ Drinking glasses, cookware and broken glass (wrap broken glass in paper)

✓ Worn-out clothing and shoes

✓ Takeaway coffee cups and lids

✓ Tea bags

✓ Small animal waste and cold ash

✓ Small bottle and jar lids

✓ Polystyrene

✓ Toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes

✓ Toys without batteries

✓ Small stationery items

Find out more about Para | Rubbish

Common recycling mistakes

Put recycling directly into your yellow bin. Plastic bags cannot be recycled through the kerbside service and bagged recycling cannot be sorted correctly.

Empty and rinse containers before putting them in your recycling bin.

Remove any leftover food. If cardboard is greasy or has food stuck to it, put it in your rubbish bin.

Remove lids before putting bottles and jars in the recycling bin. Small loose lids cannot be sorted properly and should go in your rubbish bin.

If you are unsure where an item belongs, check before putting it in your yellow recycling bin.

If you cannot confirm that an item is accepted, put it in your rubbish bin.

Plastic bags and plastic wrapping are soft and cannot go into your recycle bin. There are a number of places you can take your soft plastics to be recycled though.

Find out more about soft plastics

If you are unsure where an item belongs, check before putting it in your yellow recycling bin.

If you cannot confirm that an item is accepted, put it in your rubbish bin.

I need help

First, check your yellow recycling bin for a tag.

If there is a tag:

  1. Check what item or items have been identified.
  2. Remove the item or items.
  3. Put your recycling bin out again on your next scheduled collection day.

If there is no tag and you are unsure why your recycling bin was not collected, contact our team within 24 hours so we can investigate.

Check the information for:

If you are still unsure, contact our team on 07 862 8609 or freephone 0800 734 834 (from within the District).
We are happy to help you work out where an item belongs.

To find out more about other items such as batteries, e-waste, farm waste, appliances and milk or juice cartons go to Recycling in Hauraki

If you are still unsure, contact our team. We are happy to help you work out where an item belongs.

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