Tauranga City Council releases rubbish data on first four weeks of kerbside service

The new Tauranga City Council rubbish bin and recycling bin line-up. Photo / George Novak

Just over half of household waste collected from Tauranga kerbsides is being recycled or composed, the city council says.

Last week marked four weeks since the rates-funded service rubbish, recycling and food scraps started on July 1.

The council said in a statement approximately 1034 tonnes of waste had been diverted from landfill.

That was made up of 280 tonnes of food scraps, 459 tonnes of recycling and 295 tonnes of glass.

Another 907 tonnes of rubbish was sent to landfill.

Sustainability and Waste Manager Sam Fellows said it was a great start to the new service.

"Tauranga residents should be really proud of what they've achieved already. We know this is a huge change for our community, so it's been fantastic to see so many households get behind the new service."

Fellows said it would take time for some residents to change their habits. The council advised residents finding they don't have enough space in their rubbish bins to "look at what they are throwing away".

"More often than not, many items can be recycled or composted which frees up space in the rubbish bin."

For example, 33 per cent of household waste sent to landfill in 2020 was food scraps, which now have their own bin.

"It means we can give food scraps a new life as nutrient-rich compost instead of sitting in a landfill," Fellows said.

Almost 10,000 households have signed up for the new optional garden waste service, with approximately 140 tonnes of garden waste being collected this month.

In 2020, kerbside household waste audits showed 16 per cent of household waste sent to landfill was garden waste. Residents can continue to sign up to this service via the council's website.

The council aimed to halve what households sent to landfill by 2028.

Fellows said the city was on track to significantly reduce the 200kgs per capita sent to landfill each year before the new service - one of the worst rates in New Zealand.

Tips for using your food scraps bin

- To avoid food scraps sticking to the bottom of your bin make sure the inside is dry and line it with a paper bag, newspaper, or paper towels.
- Lock the lid of your food scraps bin by lifting the handle forward or up to keep the animals away and prevent spillage.
- Freeze your food scraps until collection day to help with odour and help keep your bin clean.