From 1 February 2024, new national recycling standards will be rolling out across the country to create a more simplified approach to kerbside recycling, making it easier for residents to reduce waste and recycle right.
Collecting the same items for recycling across the country makes it easier to recycle correctly and for companies to choose recyclable packaging.
Much of the material collected in kerbside recycling is contaminated with non-recyclable items like clothes, nappies, and bagged rubbish. This contamination costs ratepayers for sorting and disposal.
Kerbside recycling rules have changed to make it easier for you to recycle right.
Only these things can be recycled from home:
- Steel and aluminium cans
- Paper and cardboard, including pizza boxes
- Plastic bottles, trays, and containers numbered 1, 2, and 5 only
- Glass bottles and jars [in separate crates in Masterton, Carterton, and South Wairarapa districts]
From 1 February 2024, you will not be able to put the following items in your recycling:
- Items less than 50mm (e.g. caps, small cosmetic and spice containers)
- Aerosol cans (steel and aluminium)
- Liquid paperboard (beverage cartons and juice boxes)
- Plastics 3, 4, 6 and 7
- Aluminium foil and trays
- All lids
- Items over 4 litres
Please be mindful of these changes when putting out your rubbish and recycling in the next few weeks.
You can get further information from our Recycling and Waste pages, or from the Ministry of the Environment’s website, https://environment.govt.nz/what-you-can-do/campaigns/recycle/.