Opinion: New rubbish system worth the teething issues

EXCITED: The new bins are worth the wait. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Good things take time, and while Rotorua's new rubbish system has encountered some "glitches and issues" last week I believe one week in it is already shaping up to be a winner.

Last Friday we reported on a few of the teething problems in the first week of the new system - issues such as people getting their weeks mixed up, putting their bins in the wrong place or not getting them out in time for collection.

In the first week the council received about 1000 inquiries - be it for missed collections, operational mishaps or people who hadn't yet received their bins.

It prompted the council to remind people to be patient during the implementation phase.
Council staff are hopeful most issues will be ironed out within a few weeks.

A decade ago when I was the council reporter there were the calls for kerbside recycling and the hardy requests at annual plan time for the council to get on board.

Now that it's finally happened I believe the least we can do is put up with the odd problem in the first few weeks.

Besides, a week in and I think there's an unexpected benefit of the new system - one that gives you an insight into your neighbours' personalities.

There's the organised ones - the ones who have read all the material, know exactly which recycling goes in which container and have taken to the change of day with ease. They've probably had it diarised for months.

Then there's the boundary testers - the ones who have tried their luck by continuing to pop out their extra brown bags alongside the shiny new wheelie bins.

Those people with their blue glass crates filled to the brim with plastic milk bottles, well they're probably the frazzled ones who are just congratulating themselves on getting the rubbish out on any given day (no judging, we've all been there!)

And then you know which neighbours to invite to a dinner party depending on what type of empty bottles are in their recycling.

As for me, I'm just happy not to be dragging the stinky paper sacks down to the letterbox each morning.