Adding a garden waste bin to your kerbside collections.
As part of our kerbside collection service, we provide an optional service that collects garden waste from your kerbside, turns it into compost, and gives it a second life helping to grow food in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato - all for less than $6 a collection.
Garden waste bins are available for residential properties only and we cannot provide the assisted service for garden waste. The garden waste bins are 240L and you have the option of 4-weekly or fortnightly collections.
Garden waste brochure (348kb pdf) Garden waste calendar week 1 and week 2 (273kb pdf)
Garden waste calendar week 1 (183b pdf) Garden waste calendar week 2 (181kb pdf)
How much does the garden waste collections service cost?
Residents can choose between a 4-weekly collection or a fortnightly collection.
There will be an initial cost invoiced for the service depending on when you sign up:
- Between 1 July – 31 December: full annual charge*
- (currently $80 for 4-weekly collection or $110 for fortnightly collections for the current rates year (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025))
- Between 1 January – 31 March: 50% of full annual charge
- Between 1 April – 30 June: no charge
The full annual charge* will then be added to your property rates for the following rates years (from 1 July), unless you cancel your garden waste service before 30 June.
* The full annual charge is subject to change each new rates year.
Garden Waste Terms and Conditions (74 kb pdf) Privacy Statement (76 kb pdf)
What can I put in my garden waste bin?
How can I sign-up?
Only ratepayers (or those authorised by a ratepayer) can sign up for the service. Please note:
- You will need your Customer Number and Valuation Number handy (found on your property or water rates invoice)
- The registration form is not compatible with Internet Explorer so please use an alternative browser such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to sign up instead. Alternatively, contact us to register.
Sign up now
Cancelling or changing collection frequency
The service is charged annually in your rates invoice. If you wish to cancel or change the frequency of your service, you must do this before 30 June for the change to be reflected in your rates invoice for the following year (1 July – 30 June). If you cancel or change your frequency after 30 of June in any year, you’ll still need to pay the full annual charge to cover the service for the following rates year.
Change the frequency of your service
Cancel your service
Preparing for collection day
What goes into my garden waste bin?
Your questions answered
Tenants can ask their landlord or property manager to sign up for garden waste collections on their behalf.
Property managers will need to seek permission from the landlord to sign up to garden waste collections on behalf of the tenant, as an additional annual charge will be added onto the property’s rates ($80 for 4-weekly collections, or $110 for fortnightly collections in the 2024/25 rates year).
You can sign up for garden waste collections at any time during the year.
It may take a few weeks for your garden waste bin to be delivered from when you sign up. If you have not received your garden waste bin after four weeks, phone our contact centre on 07 577 7000 or email kerbside@tauranga.govt.nz and include your property address.
You can take any additional garden waste to our transfer station at Te Maunga (next to Mercury Arena).
Households that add garden waste to their kerbside collections between 1 July to 31 May each rates year* will be charged a user charge (rather than a rate) for the service for the rates year in which it was ordered and invoiced separately to the property’s rates invoice. In subsequent rates years, this service will be charged as a targeted rate on the property and included in the property’s rates invoice. User charges are set by the Council each year through its Schedule of User Fees and Charges.
Households who add the garden waste service between 1 July to 31 December will be charged the full annual charge, and between 1 January to 31 May will be charged 50% of the annual charge. The garden waste bin may be delivered to the property prior to the invoice being sent. Once the invoice is sent, it must be paid by the due date specified on it, or the bin may be removed from the property without further notice. Alternately, Council may require payment of the invoice before the bin is delivered.
*The rates year runs from 1 July to 30 June.
No, this service is not available for apartment complexes or retirement villages.
Yes, but some will need to take their garden waste bin to their nearest public road for servicing. This is the case even if their rubbish, recycling, glass and food scraps are serviced outside their property. If you are unsure, phone the contact centre on 577 7000 to see where you need to place your garden waste bin for servicing.
If you have signed up for the garden waste collection and then cancel your service before 30 June in any year, you will not be charged the annual charge in the rates invoice for the following rates year of 1 July – 30 June. If you don’t cancel your garden waste service by this date, you will be automatically charged the annual fee for the service for the following rates year.
We cannot change the way your property is rated part way through rating year, so if you want to cancel this service you must do so by 30 June to avoid your property being charged this fee for the following rating year.
If you are selling your property, you will need to let the new owners know of their obligation to pay this fee in their rates until the following June.
No, the assisted service is not available for garden waste collections.
The maximum weight for the 240L garden waste bin is 40 kg.