As part of the draft Long-term Plan 2024-34 consultation process, Council is proposing to introduce wheelie bins for kerbside rubbish and recycling collection.

Council is asking the community to help select a preferred option for kerbside collection by making a submission on the draft Long-term Plan. The options are:

1. Continue with the existing user-pays service of 60-litre rubbish bags and rates-funded recycling crates for residential, Taupō and Tūrangi town centres and neighbourhood shops.
2. Introduce rates-funded wheelie bins for residential, Taupō and Tūrangi town centres and neighbourhood shops.

Both options would include a weekly food waste collection service. Food waste collection is a direction from central Government, which is supported by Council’s waste minimisation goals.

Reducing food waste to landfill plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Wheelie bins would be collected fortnightly for residential households, and weekly for town centres and neighbourhood shops.

Taupō District Council environmental impacts manager Brent Aitken says the idea of wheelie bins has been a long time coming and council is excited to bring this option to the community.

“The community has been telling us we need to improve our kerbside collection service and we know there is a real appetite for us to switch to bins.”

In a 2023 survey, 75 percent of the 1272 responses favoured moving to wheelie bins over the current rubbish bags and recycling crates.

“Animals rip open rubbish bags and sharp objects sticking out can injure our collectors. On windy days, recycling items get blown out of recycling crates down the street. While wheelie bins combat several of these challenges, nothing’s perfect,” Mr Aitken says.

“There are pros and cons to each option, and I encourage you to have a read through the information and give us your feedback.

“It’s really important that we hear from you.”

Learn more about the options and make a submission at www.taupo.govt.nz/bagitorbinit

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