Kerbside recycling

The council provides a weekly kerbside recycling collection service to most residential properties. Find out how it all works by reading through the information below.

What can you recycle? 

The drop-down sections below have more detail about what you can recycle in your crates – or use our search tool to check a specific item.

Plastics 1, 2 & 5 and cans

You can recycle:

  • plastic bottles, plastic trays and containers numbered 1, 2 and 5 (no lids)
  • drink cans and food tins

Items need to be rinsed clean, without lids and pumps, and must be less than four litres in size

Common items include:

  • Water and soft drink bottles
  • Milk, detergent and shampoo bottles
  • Fruit punnets and meat trays (film removed)
  • Ice cream, margarine and large yoghurt containers (#5)
  • Clear plastic takeaway containers (#5)
  • Cleaning product containers e.g. spray bottle with pump removed.
  • Food tins and pet food cans (well cleaned)
  • Aluminium drink cans - rinsed

Note: No lids accepted. Put lids in the rubbish bin or take them to the Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre for recycling.

Paper and cardboard

You can recycle: clean, flattened cardboard and paper.

Break down large boxes to fit in the crate.

Common accepted items include:

  • Paper and envelopes (including those with a window)
  • Cereal boxes
  • Egg cartons
  • Cardboard – flattened or broken up to fit into crate
  • Newspaper and magazines
  • Pizza boxes (remove all food)

Note: Cardboard crates should be filled no higher than knee height.

Weigh down cardboard and paper by stacking another crate or a heavy object (e.g. a piece of wood or a brick) on top, to prevent the wind blowing items out. You can also tightly pack the items.

If you have too much cardboard to fit in a single crate, use more than one crate for your cardboard, keep the excess cardboard for another week, or take it to the Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre for free.

Glass bottles and jars

You can recycle: Glass bottles and jars from food and beverages.

Must be clean and not broken. No lids.

Your glass crate can only contain glass jars and bottles, no other items.

Note: Broken glass is not accepted for recycling. Drinking glasses and cosmetics glass containers cannot be recycled kerbside. Put these items in the rubbish bin, wrapping any broken glass.

What can't be recycled?

Please don’t put the following items in your recycling crates. They can’t be collected. If in doubt, put it in the rubbish.

Plastics and cans items not accepted

You can’t put these items in your kerbside recycling:

  • Lids – all sizes and types (recycle at Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre)
  • Bottles/containers larger than 4L (recycle at Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre)
  • Plastics with no number or numbered 3, 4, 6 or 7
  • Soft plastics e.g. plastic bags, wrappers, cling film, bubble wrap
  • Containers you normally find in the garage or garden (such as chemicals, paint and plastic plant pots)
  • Plastic storage containers e.g. tupperware
  • Compostable/biodegradable plastic items
  • Polystyrene (recycle at Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre – fees apply)
  • Aerosol cans
  • Tin foil and aluminium trays
  • Pots, pans, metal cookware, biscuit/coffee tins etc

Put these items in the rubbish bin. Some items have alternative recycling options.

Paper and cardboard products not accepted

You can’t put these items in your kerbside recycling:

  • Food and beverage cartons/Tetrapak (recycle at Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre) 
  • Takeaway coffee cups and paper cups
  • Shredded paper
  • Tissue paper, tissues and paper towels
  • Cardboard tubes for chips and cardboard coffee tins
  • Cards or wrapping with glitter
  • Receipts
  • Packaging with food waste
  • Compostable food packaging eg. waxed cardboard 

Cardboard crates filled over knee height will not be accepted. Loose cardboard sitting outside of crates or excess cardboard that is placed amongst other recycling groups is not accepted. 

Glass items not accepted

You can’t put these items in your kerbside recycling:

  • Lids from glass bottles and jars (recycle at Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre)
  • Broken glass
  • Glass cookware e.g. Pyrex
  • Candle jars
  • Mirror and window glass
  • Drinking glasses, mugs, plates and jugs
  • Ceramics, vases and ornamental glass
  • Glass bottles and jars used for medicine, perfume and skincare
  • Light bulbs (recycle at Mitre 10)

Use alternative recycling options (if possible) or put items in rubbish bin. If items are still in good condition, donate them to a local op shop. 

Hazardous items not accepted

  • Gas bottles and cylinders (eg camping gas cylinders)
  • Batteries (recycle at Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre)
  • Sharp and broken objects
  • E-waste and vape products
  • Chemical containers e.g. engine oil bottles.

For more information on how to responsibly dispose of hazardous waste items, click here

How to use your recycling crates 

Image of a Whanganui resident and their kid putting their recycling crates out at the kerb

Each household has a set of three crates. Each crate can only contain one of the following groups.

  • Plastics 1, 2, 5 and tin/cans
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Paper and cardboard

You can use more than one crate for any of the material groups above, but you can't mix groups in the same crate.

Key steps to recycle correctly

  1. Check the item can actually be included in your recycling (see the drop-down boxes above or use our search tool)
  2. Rinse, remove lids, flatten cardboard
  3. Sort your items into three groups: 'plastic and cans', 'glass bottles and jars', and 'paper and cardboard'. Remember, you can't mix groups in the same crate.
  4. Ensure your recycling fits within your crates. Crates filled past the line at the top will not be collected. The only exception is cardboard, which if tightly packed, can sit up to a maximum of knee height.
  5. Put your crates out by 7am. Place them as close to the road edge as possible (without impeding vehicle or pedestrian access).

Download the kerbside recycling guidebook(PDF, 3MB)

Frequently asked questions

▸ Why recycle?

As well as costing you money, sending recyclable materials to landfill is extremely wasteful - both economically and environmentally.

Recycling helps keep valuable resources in use, so we don’t have to extract more raw materials from the earth. Recycling is one way to reduce your environmental impact, but there are also lots of other ways you can be kinder to the planet. You can avoid unnecessary packaging by buying loose produce, buying in bulk, and using refilling stations.

You can also buy less, look after your things, repair, reuse things - and, if you do need something, try to buy second hand or borrow/rent the item. The best way to reduce waste is to avoid creating waste in the first place.

▸ What if I have large amounts of recycling?

If you have more recycling than can fit in your crates, either keep it until the next week or take it to the Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre for free.

If you too much of one particular group (i.e. paper & cardboard), remember you can use more than one crate for any of the material groups (but you can't mix groups in the same crate).

Cardboard tips:

  • To fit more in, squash your egg cartons and flatten all cardboard
  • If you stack cardboard vertically and tightly, it's ok for it reach a maximum of knee height
  • Even though your crate isn't designed to fit large delivery boxes, you can cut large boxes into smaller pieces

  • If you’re purchasing a large item, ask the retailer if you can bring the box back to the shop.

▸ What should I do if it's windy?

Your crates are designed to be stackable, so on windy days it's a good idea to put your heaviest crate (most likely the one with glass bottles and jars) on top of the crate with lighter materials.

Please only stack crates two-high though. Strong winds can tip over crates stacked three-high and cause broken glass on driveways/pavements

Feel free to place a brick or similar object on top of the crates (especially the crates containing lighter material) to weigh material down.

If it's a really windy day - or if there's any serious weather event that affects the service - please wait until the following week to put your crates out.

You can get real time alerts about our recycling service by downloading the Antenno app. We will also share updates via the council’s Facebook page.

▸ What happens to your recycling?

Glass
All glass we collect is recycled and processed in Aotearoa at the Visy processing plant and furnace in Auckland - where it’s turned into glass bottles.

Paper and cardboard
The paper & cardboard we collect is baled locally before being sent to Full Circle which exports it.

Plastics
About 60% of plastic collected for recycling is processed in Aotearoa. The rest is sent overseas for processing.

Flight Plastics in Wellington recycles plastic bottles and some trays numbered 1 into new trays and punnets.

Astron Sustainability, Second Life Plastics, and Aotearoa NZ Made turn plastic containers numbered 2 into new things such as milk crates, buckets, and rubbish bags.

Compsec, Pact Recycling, RD Manufacturing, and Aotearoa NZ Made turn plastic containers numbered 5 into new things such as garden tools, building materials and fibre for clothing.

Tins and cans
Most of the baled metal is sent overseas. Aluminium is sent to Australia and Asia to be recycled back into cans. Steel is currently sent offshore, often to Canada, Asia and the Middle East to be recycled into high-quality steel used for things like making bikes or manufacturing new steel tins.

▸ What happens to my crates when I move house?

Crates are part of the chattels of the property, so must stay with the property.

There are charges for replacement crates if the crates are taken during changes in ownership or tenancy.

If you are moving into a new build, or have built an additional Separately Used or Inhabited Part of a property (SUIP) and it is within the collection area, new crates will be delivered to your property and the targeted rate will be added to your rates from the next rates strike. 

▸ Why crates and not wheely bins?

We’ve decided to use crates for our kerbside recycling service because they are the most effective system to reduce contamination and ensure we’re recycling correctly.

In recycling terms, contamination is when things that can’t be recycled are included with your recycling. This has been a big problem for recycling services across New Zealand - and it makes sorting recycling much more difficult and expensive.

With our three-crate system, recyclable materials should already be sorted into groups when we collect them from kerbside - and unlike a wheelie bin (where you can’t see the contents), we’ll be able to quickly identify incorrect items and prevent contamination.

▸ How can I stay up-to-date and report issues with the recycling service?

The best way to stay up-to-date, and report any issues you might experience is to download the Antenno app.

For those not using Antenno, updates are also shared on the council's Facebook page, or via email at yourcouncil@whanganui.govt.nz

▸ What should I do if I can’t physically carry my crates to the kerbside?

Most people will be able to get their crates to the kerb using methods such as cars or trolleys. You can also ask a family member, support person, or neighbour to help. But for those who genuinely have no other option, the council offers an Assisted Collection service (on a case-by-case basis).

To find out if you're eligible for the service, read our Kerbside Recycling Assisted Collection Service Policy(PDF, 164KB).

To apply, click here.

▸ How can I learn more about recycling?

To find out more about New Zealand's standardised kerbside recycling rules, visit the Ministry for the Environment's Can I recycle this? page.

Additional services

Kerbside recycling assisted collection service

Whanganui District Council can provide assisted service for certain residents in the community who have physical restrictions limiting their ability to take their recycling crates to the kerbside.

This service is fully subsidised by the council – but is only available to residents who don’t have a neighbour, family member or support person able to assist them. The purpose of this service is to make kerbside recycling accessible to all residents rated for the service.

Please read the Kerbside Recycling Assisted Collection Service Policy(PDF, 164KB) and the information below regarding eligibility and the acceptance conditions.

Apply here

Download a hard-copy printable form here(PDF, 138KB)

Will I be eligible?

This assisted service is only available to you if:

  • You have a long-term physical restriction, or are recovering from a short-term illness or injury, that limits your ability to put your rubbish wheelie bin and/or recycling crates out on to the kerb to be collected you do not have carers, family, friends, or neighbours that would be willing to help you with your rubbish and recycling.
  • The council must consider whether you have a medical need for this service and if there is anyone else to help you on your collection day. You will need to provide a letter from a medical or social care professional to support your eligibility for this service. The health and safety of accessing your property also needs to be reviewed before a service is approved.

Order a recycling trolley

The council has special kerbside recycling trolleys available for purchase at a cost of $100 (inclusive of GST and delivery).

The trolleys have been adapted by a local fabricator to allow people to stack all three crates on them - providing a convenient way to take crates down long driveways (and enabling easy vertical storage).

To order a recycling trolley for your household, click here

trolley.jpg

Order kerbside recycling crate replacements

Order replacement crates here

Related Information

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