An innovative new coupon system will enable Auckland City householders to choose how they want to dispose of their garden rubbish when Auckland City introduces its new waste collection systems from July 1.

Ratepayers who currently use wheelie bins will be issued with six rates funded coupons, which they can use with registered operators or retailers approved by the Council, to help meet the cost of:

- garden rubbish collections, or

- compost or worm bins, or

- taking garden rubbish to a garden rubbish drop-off centre.

The coupons and an information pack containing full details about the new green.cycle system will be sent to householders this week. The coupons can be used after July 2.

The new system complements the Council’s initiatives to supply new 120-litre wheelie bins with red lids and up to three recycling bins to householders outside the inner CBD from the beginning of July.

People can keep their old green 240-litre bins and use them to dispose of garden waste using the coupon system, if this is the option they choose when the new systems are introduced. Those who currently have 120-litre bins can exchange them for 240-litre bins to use with the garden rubbish system by completing a post-paid form included with their coupons and returning it to the Council.

“The green.cycle garden rubbish recycling system is a great initiative and I am pleased to be associated with it,” says City Works Committee chairperson, Councillor Astley. “It gives people the flexibility to choose the garden rubbish services that suit them best, rather than the Council telling them they’re getting a kerbside garden rubbish collection and that’s it.

“This scheme is uniquely Auckland and it has the support of registered operators who will accept the coupons in exchange for their services.”

General household rubbish, including food scraps, can be placed in the smaller red-lidded bins, which are the only bins that will be collected by rubbish contractors after July 1. Up to three recycling bins per property - extra bins are available from the Council on request - can be used for tin, glass, metal and some plastics, white kerbside paper and cardboard collections will continue.

The initiatives are part of a Council drive to halve the amount of waste sent for disposal in landfills within three years.

Councillor Astley says just under half of what people currently put out in wheelie bins is garden rubbish or food scraps. “By giving people the means to separate this out from their general household rubbish, we will be making strong progress toward achieving a significant reduction in the amount of rubbish going in to our landfills,” he said.

“Auckland City householders are currently sending enough rubbish to the landfill to fill Eden Park the equivalent of five storeys high every month.

“Increased recycling is one way we can reverse this alarming trend, which is putting our environment at risk. We’re asking Aucklanders to play their part and help us get our rubbish sorted.”

ENDS

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