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RECYCLE RIGHT

How many recyclables can you correctly sort into the bin?

New Zealand's recycling rules have been updated to make recycling the same across the country.
Your kerbside recycling bin is for grocery packaging containers made of plastic, glass, metal, and cardboard. Please empty and rinse all containers and place them loose in your recycling bin along with flattened paper and cardboard.
Items you can put in your kerbside recycling bin:

  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Tin, steel, and aluminium cans
    Plastic bottles (grades 1, 2, and 5) from your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry
  • Plastic food containers (grades 1, 2, and 5)
  • Newspapers, magazines, and advertising mail
  • Paper and cardboard, including empty pizza boxes, egg cartons, and window envelopes.

RECYCLING TIPS

LIDS

Remove all lids and place them in your rubbish bin. This includes flat lids from ice cream and margarine containers.

Lids left on containers can trap contents inside, making sorting difficult and increase the risk of injury to recycling centre workers if they pop off under pressure. If liquids are left inside containers, it can leak and contaminate paper and cardboard. However, certain lids, such as those on fruit punnets or shampoo bottles, are designed to stay on and shouldn't be removed.

Tin can lids are an exception; they can be recycled if steps are taken to prepare them properly, including rinsing, reattaching, and squashing them securely inside the can.

Flat lids
e.g. from ice cream containers, margarine, some takeaway containers
(too flat and can get sorted into the paper recycling)

Small lids
e.g. from bottles and jars
(too small, can trap liquids inside the container, dangerous for workers)

 

 

HOW CLEAN IS CLEAN

RECYCLING CONTAMINATION

Your recyclables don’t have to be spotless - for most containers, a quick rinse is fine.

To save on water use, try rinsing containers with used dish water from cleaning your pots and pans. Products like peanut butter and mayonnaise will need a bit of hot water and extra effort to remove as much residue as you can.

Pizza boxes with grease are ok. If the bottom of the box has cheese or sauce stuck to it, simply rip off the lid and place the dirty part of the box in your kerbside refuse bin and recycle the lid by itself.

HOW TO RECYCLE RIGHT

You can recycle grocery packaging containers made of plastic, glass, metal and cardboard. Simply empty and rinse all your containers and place them loose in your recycling bin, together with flattened paper and cardboard from your home.

WHERE DOES RECYCLING GO?

Learn about what happens to your recycling collected through the kerbside collection through a step by step process. Know your efforts aren't going to waste and we are finding the best sustainable solution for the environment.

RECYCLING SOFT PLASTICS AND PLASTIC BAGS

These can’t go in your recycling bin, but you’re right in thinking they can be recycled!
Soft plastics – including plastic bags, courier bags and chip packets – can be dropped off at your local supermarket or retailers who are part of the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme.

JUST ASK BINNY

Not sure if something can go in your kerbside recycling bin? Just ask Binny!

Download the app on Android and iOS, or find Binny on: