Tauranga residents can expect their kerbside collections to run as usual over the Christmas and New Year period.
The collection of kerbside rubbish, recycling and food scraps will not be affected by the public holidays, so residents should put their bins out as they normally would.
“We’ve made a number of key changes this year to reduce waste across the city, with the introduction of new kerbside rubbish, recycling, food scraps and optional garden waste collections, so it’s reassuring to know that collections will be unaffected this holiday period,” says Sam Fellows, Tauranga City Council’s Sustainability and Waste Manager.
“We want to thank the community for adapting to the new system and helping to minimise the city’s waste, already we’ve saved over 7,000 tonnes from going to landfill.”
It’s normal to see an increase in the amount of household rubbish and recycling created during the festive season and residents are encouraged to take any excess rubbish and recycling to the Te Maunga Transfer Station to avoid overfilling their bins.
Recycling can be taken for free, and up to three 60L bags of rubbish can be dropped off for $3.50 each.
Bins that are overfilled to the point that the lid can’t close won't be collected as they pose a health and safety risk.
“While we understand there are valid reasons for an increase in rubbish and recycling during this period, there are things residents can do to reduce the impact of this,” Sam says.
“Regular recycling and home composting will help to create more space in your rubbish bin, as will using your food scraps bin.
“We want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday season while also making sure our rubbish collection service can continue to run smoothly.”
Tips for using your food scraps bin include:
- Rinse your bin between collections
- Freeze your food scraps and empty them into your bin near to collection day
- Wrap your food scraps in a used paper towel, serviette or newspaper
- Keep your bin in a sheltered spot away from the sun
- Line your bin with newspaper, a brown paper bag or paper towels to keep it clean.
You can help keep the kerbside service running smoothly by:
- Keeping your bins 30cm apart
- Placing your bins on the kerb before 7am
- Putting the right things in the right bin.
The council’s aim is to halve the amount of household waste sent to landfill by 2028.
For more information about rubbish and recycling services, go to www.tauranga.govt.nz/living/rubbish-and-recycling.