If you live in a kerbside recycling area, you can recycle glass, aluminium and steel cans, plastics (numbered 1 - 7) in your blue bin. Paper and cardboard should be tied in a bundle, or boxed beside your recycle bin.
Other Ways to Recycle
If you do not live in the townships with a collection service you can take your recyclables to the Envirowaste Refuse Transfer Stations or the Rural depots.
Tips for 'What' and 'How' to recycle
Recycling Brochure (pdf, 160kb)
Paper and Cardboard: Items Accepted -
- Newspapers, magazines, advertising flyers and glossy brochures.
- Office and computer paper, cards and envelopes, calendars.
- Cereal and other food packaging boxes and corrugated egg cartons.
- Telephone books and paperbacks.
- Cardboard boxes and paper or cardboard wrapping materials (any thickness).
Preparation
- Keep paper and cardboard clean and dry.
- Place all paper items in a bag, tied at the top to make sure it doesn’t blow away.
- Flatten cardboard.
- Council also has a supply of free 'No Junk Mail' stickers which can be used to cut down on the amount of waste paper your household gets each week. If you would like one of these please call in to our offices and get one from the pamphlet stands in the customer service areas.
Glass: Items Accepted -
- Clear, green and brown glass bottles and jars only.
- NO other types of glass and no broken glass should go in your recycling bins.
Preparation:
- Remove all caps and corks, then rinse.
Plastic: Items Accepted -
You can recycle plastics broadly described as rigid household containers, like:
- Soft drink bottles
- Milk bottles
- Juice bottles
- icecream containers
- Yoghurt tubs
- Sauce bottles.
These are now only a few plastic items you can’t recycle. These include:
- Plastic bags
- Polystyrene
- Plastic toys
- Plastic packaging
- Disposable nappies
- Bubble wrap
- Shrink wrap
- CD cases
Tin and Aluminium Cans: Items Accepted -
- Cans and tins only
- For other items see below.
Preparation:
- Remove lids from tin cans and place inside
- Wash and squash all cans.
Paint
Water based paints are not toxic so aren’t collected as hazardous waste. Resene will accept their own paints back at no charge, and other brands for only a small price, so that’s the perfect way to get rid of them. Alternatively you can mix the paint with sand to dry it out and then put it safely in the rubbish.
E-Waste
Broken or out of date computers, phones, faxes or printers are accepted by a few companies. Click on the link below for their contact details.
Other recyclables
Aluminium, batteries, brass, iron, copper, zinc, radiators and steel can be recycled at;
Hewes Metals 197 Manukau Rd, Pukekohe Ph: 238 6986
SJ Metals 169 Manukau Rd, Pukekohe
Organic Waste
We might think that organic waste has no harmful effects - it just breaks down right? Not quite. Organic waste in landfills can cause water pollution, emissions of potent gases and bad smells. It also makes up much of your waste and what you have to pay to get rid of each week. If you want a better solution then consider composting with or without worms.
Council has a 'How To' guide for home composting which is yours free. If you are interested in receiving a copy call Customer Services on 09 237 1300 or visit the contact us section.
There is a wealth of information on recycling (and sustainable business practices) available from a variety of organisations. Here are some good ones to get started. Check them out, but do be aware that you will be taken to another website.