Materials accepted at Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations

What materials do transfer stations accept?

The following household materials are accepted at your local Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station.

black tick.pngGeneral rubbish


General household rubbish is accepted at all sites

  • Unofficial bags of rubbish (60 litre) cost $5 to dispose of.
  • Unofficial small bags of rubbish (20 litre) cost $2 to dispose of.
  • No cost to dispose of rubbish in the old Council pre-paid blue bags.  
  • For other volumes of rubbish please see our fees and charges section.

black tick.png Household recycling (clean and lids removed)


The following recycling materials are accepted at all sites at no charge.

black tick.png Flattened paper, cardboard, newspapers, magazines and clean empty pizza boxes
black tick.png Plastics bottles and containers numbered 1, 2 & 5 to a maximum size of 4 litres
   * Number 1 plastics: soft drink, juice and water bottles
   * Number 2 plastics: milk bottles, bathroom product bottles and laundry product bottles
   * Number 5 plastics: large yoghurt and ice cream tubs, margarine/butter tubs
black tick.png Tins and cans
black tick.png Glass bottles (rinsed clean, no lids)
black tick.png Glass jars (rinsed clean, no lids)

The following are not accepted:
✖ lids
✖ broken glass
✖ light bulbs or fluorescent tubes
✖ drinking glasses or cookware
✖ window glass or mirrors
✖ medicine or vape ware
✖ perfume bottles
✖ baled recycling
✖ plastic bottles or containers that are over 4 litres in size.

black tick.png Household soft plastics

Household quantities of clean soft plastics recycling are accepted at Whangamatā, Whitianga, Thames and Tairua Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations at no charge. 

black tick.png Metal recycling

Domestic volumes of scrap metal, whiteware and car bodies are accepted at all transfer stations. Please see our fees and charges section.

black tick.png Green waste

Unwanted plant material from gardens is called green waste. Our transfer stations accept some green waste. Please see our fees and charges section. 

Some plant material is not accepted. This is listed below (these materials are treated as general waste/refuse):

Cross symbol.png Stringy plants (e.g. flax, cabbage trees, yukka, banana trees etc.)

Cross symbol.png Noxious plants or weeds (e.g. ragwort, ginger, box thorn, agapanthus, gorse etc.)

Cross symbol.png Fibrous plants/ trees (e.g. ponga trees, palms, ferns, bamboo etc.)

Cross symbol.png Oversize branches (greater than 150mm diameter and longer than 1200mm)

Cross symbol.png Green waste containing contaminates such as stones, concrete, bricks, plastic, weed matter or bark.

black tick.png Tyres

Household quantities (maximum of five per customer visit) of tyres are accepted at all transfer stations. Please see our fees and charges section.

black tick.png Hazardous waste

Household quantities (e.g. 20 litres of liquid or less, 5kg of powder or less) of items listed below are accepted at all sites at no charge.

Please hand these items in at the transfer station for appropriate disposal - do not place them in the general rubbish pit.

black tick.png Garden herbicide and pesticides
black tick.png Waste oil
black tick.png Leftover paint and wood stain
black tick.png Methylated spirits, turpentine, paint stripper
black tick.png Pool chlorine
black tick.png Household cleaning products
black tick.png Household LPG cylinders and camping butane gas bottles
black tick.png Fire extinguishers 
black tick.png Helium cylinders
black tick.png Fluorescent tubes
black tick.png Flares
black tick.png Aerosol cans
black tick.png Batteries:
     - car
     - dry cell
     - general household
     - power tool
     - button cell.

Cross symbol.png Some hazardous waste materials are not accepted

Cross symbol.png Bulk volumes of liquids, powders or dust
Cross symbol.png Radioactive wastes
Cross symbol.png Explosives
Cross symbol.png PCB wastes
Cross symbol.png Asbestos or products containing asbestos
Cross symbol.png Fuel
Cross symbol.png E-waste such as old computers, tablets and mobile phones. (Please contact the Seagull Centre about your e-waste)
Cross symbol.png Hazardous waste unlabelled (e.g. unknown hazardous waste classification)
Cross symbol.png Ammunition
Cross symbol.png Dive tanks/ pressurised air tanks
Cross symbol.png Medical waste  

Cross symbol.png Other materials not accepted at any Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station

Cross symbol.png Clean fill or hard fill (clay, soil, rocks, brick, stones, concrete, gravel etc.)
Cross symbol.png Full trees
Cross symbol.png Tree branches longer than 1200mm
Cross symbol.png Tree branches thicker than 150mm
Cross symbol.png Tree stumps thicker than 150mm
Cross symbol.png Timber lengths longer than 1200mm 
Cross symbol.png Offal / dead stock / or other animals

 

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