Frequently Asked Questions - Rubbish and Recycling

What kerbside services do we receive?

Our new 10-year solid waste contract with Waste Management NZ Ltd began on 1 September 2023. The services they provide include residential kerbside collections and Refuse Transfer and Recycling Station (RTS) operations. Key services include:

Food scraps are collected weekly in a 25-litre bin, with new bins supplied

Rubbish is collected fortnightly in a 140-litre wheelie bin, with new bins supplied — replacement for blue bags collection

Glass is collected fortnightly with a limit of two Council crates per household (Note: Householders who want a second crate need to pay for them.)

Mixed recycling (paper, cardboard, tins and hard plastics 1,2 & 5) is collected fortnightly in a 240-litre wheelie bin

There are increased rubbish and recycling residential kerbside collections in the peak summer period provided in some areas.

How do the services work?

Each property's services for collection of food scraps, glass and recycling services is paid for through rates. However, the rubbish collection service is paid for through Pay as You Throw (PAYT) tags that you can buy through participating retailers and Council offices. You can view the list of retailers at the bottom of this page. The cost of tags can be found here.

The PAYT tag must be fed through the red bin handle and the black lug next to the handle. This is so that the tag will rip along the perforation as the bin is turned upside down. Bins with tags threaded only through one handle will not be collected. For instructions and a video on how to attach the tag, visit this page.

I still have some blue bags; can I put them kerbside?

No. Blue bags will not be collected kerbside. However, you can take them to one of our seven Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations (RTS) free of charge until stocks run out.

I'm not in the kerbside collection area - what should I do?

One option is to drop your rubbish and recycling off to one of our seven Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations (RTS) for disposal. The charges for disposal can be found here. Alternatively, you could speak to a private waste collection company.

What is my collection day?

The collection service operates across a five-day working week with a 'red' and 'yellow' week system. On red week, your rubbish and food scraps get collected. On yellow week, your mixed recycling bin, glass crate and food scraps get collected. Click here to find out your collection schedule.

How should I put my bins out?

Please keep lids closed and don't overfill bins.
Place bins with the logo facing the road.
Place bins kerbside by 7.30am on collection day.
Put them as close as possible to the kerb, with about half a metre between each bin so the trucks can pick them up.
If you're in a flat, cul-de-sac or shared driveway, talk to your neighbours about where you can put your bins. Sometimes, it may mean putting your bin outside a neighbour's property.

What can I put in my food scraps bin?

The food scraps bin can accept items like:

fruit and vegetables
cooked food (like rice and pasta)
meat and fish
coffee grounds and egg shells
dairy

Download a copy of the information leaflet here.

What if I compost at home?

That's great! Thanks for doing your part to combat food waste. Even if you already have your own system in place, the food scraps system provides a benefit to the whole community and the environment by significantly reducing the amount of overall waste going to landfill. Composting at home is also a great option – people can still use their food scraps for things that cannot be added to their compost or worm farm, such as meat, small bones, onion skins and dairy products.

Why do we need a food scraps bin?

When we audited some kerbside Council rubbish bags in 2021 we found that organic matter comprised just over 60 per cent of the weight going to landfill. Kitchen food waste made up 86 per cent of that organic material.

When food scraps break down in landfill they give off greenhouse gases such as methane, which are not good for the environment. Getting food scraps out of landfill and collected to make compost gets the goodness back into the soil, where it belongs.

Food waste kerbside collection services have been introduced by many Councils across New Zealand, including Hamilton City, Tauranga City, Western Bay of Plenty District, Auckland City, Hauraki District, Matamata Piako District and others.

What happens to my recycling collected at kerbside (recycling, glass and food scraps)?

All recycling is consolidated at the Tirohia Recycling staging area - from there it is transported to recycling facilities in Hamilton and Auckland:

• Glass is sent to Visy in Auckland for recycling.

• Food scraps are processed at Tirohia Organics compost facility.

What do I do with my green waste?

Green waste needs to be taken to one of our Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations.

I have just built a new house and need bins - how do I get them?

Please contact our Customer Services Team.

How do ratepayers/ residents pay for the waste services?

Solid Waste services are paid for in a number of ways:

A targeted rate for customers that receive a kerbside rubbish and recycling collection.
Pay As You Throw (PAYT) tags that customers need to buy and attach each time they put out their rubbish wheelie bins kerbside to be emptied. Having a pre-paid PAYT tag system for rubbish bins means each household is only paying for the rubbish they generate. The tags are available to purchase at Council offices and participating local retailers.
Gate fees and charges at the Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station (RTS) sites.

How can I keep costs down?

With the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) tag system, you only need to use a tag when you put your rubbish wheelie bin out for collection. The amount of rubbish that you generate should be reduced by appropriate use of your new food scraps bin, mixed recycling wheelie bin and glass recycling crate. We also have collection bins around the district for soft plastics.

You may not need to put your rubbish wheelie bin out every fortnight if you take advantage of all the recycling options available.

Please note that the Pay As You Throw tags do not have an expiry date - so you don't need to worry about them becoming out of date.

Of course, we’ll need to monitor what goes into the food scraps bin, mixed recycling wheelie bin and glass crate to make sure that only items that should go in them are put there. We’ve also designed our Pay As You Throw tags with anti-copying watermarks to prevent fraudulent copying. Falsifying a bin tag could result in enforcement action.

We also monitor what goes into the food scraps bin, mixed recycling wheelie bin and glass crate through our contractor's kerbside auditors. This is to make sure that only items that should go in them are put there.

The goal is to reduce unnecessary items going to landfill by reusing, repurposing, recycling and regenerating the earth’s precious resources.

What hours are the Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations (RTS) open?

All sites are open to standard hours seven days a week including most public holidays.

During daylight saving (from the last Sunday in September to the first Saturday in April):
Monday to Sunday 8.30am – 5.30pm
Outside of daylight saving:
Monday to Sunday 8.30am – 4.30pm.
They’ll be closed on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday and until 1pm Anzac Day.

Are there after-hours facilities at the Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station (RTS) sites?

Some Refuse and Recycling Stations have an after-hours service. They are: Whangamatā RTS, Tairua RTS and Matarangi RTS.

I need help to take my bins kerbside – what should I do?

Please contact our Customer Services team to discuss your support needs. Phone 07 868 0200 or email customer.services@tcdc.govt.nz.

What happens if I am not at my property to take my bins to the kerbside or back in again?

Please ask your neighbours, family or friends if they are able to help.

I still have questions, who can I contact

If you still have questions, please contact our customer services team on 07 868 0200 or email customer.services@tcdc.govt.nz.

Please note: The information in the FAQs has been provided to the best knowledge of our Council at the time these FAQs were revised in May 2025.