A big change to how kerbside rubbish is collected for several Auckland suburbs is coming, with the council urging locals to "plan ahead".
Pre-paid bin tags will be tossed out starting from March 3 for residents on the North Shore, followed by Papakura on May 1.
Currently, residents in those suburbs pay for their rubbish collected through prepaid bin tags. This will soon end, and the service will be replaced by a weekly kerbside rubbish collection service funded by universal rates - the system currently used by the rest of the city.
Waitākere already made the change in December.
Here's what residents need to know ahead of the changes:
How will this impact my rates?
Instead of needing to pay for individual bin tags during the weekly shop or while filling up the car, the new system will be partially charged through annual rates.
The cost of this rate will depend on the size of your bin and the date tag use stopped in your area.
You can find out how much your rates will be on the council website.
The rate for a standard council rubbish bin (120L capacity) for each household is $174.77.
Ratepayers will also have the option to request a smaller bin (80L capacity) for a lower rate of $145.24 or a larger bin (240L capacity) for a higher rate of $290.09.
Locals who previously used a private waste collection company in Waitākere and North Shore can still use their old blue or yellow council bins. People who need a new council bin can request one online.
How to prepare for the change
The council urged people to "plan ahead" and use their remaining tags before they're binned forever.
It also advised people to avoid buying more tags than they need.
If you're stuck with a bunch of unused tags when the new system comes in, you can get a refund.
These will be available for the North Shore between March 1 and April 30 and for Papakura between May 1 and June 30.
Residents with 10 or fewer leftover tags can get refunds at selected libraries. These will be credited to debit or credit cards, but cash refunds are unavailable.
People with 11 or more unused bin tags are asked to email the council.
What's behind the change?
The council rolled out the pay-as-you-throw-away (PAYT) system between 2017 and 2018 as part of its goal of zero waste going to landfills by 2040.
A review of the system in 2022 as part of the 2022/23 budget consultation found the system was more expensive to operate and, overall, did not reduce waste volumes.
"Having everyone on a unified collection service that includes recycling and food scraps gives us the best chance to minimise waste and reduce emissions as we work towards Auckland's goal of zero waste by 2040," Auckland Council GM waste solutions Justine Haves told 1News.
She said the council wanted to protect the city's natural environment by reducing reliance on landfills while keeping Aucklanders' costs as low as possible.
"A universal rates-funded rubbish collection helps us to deliver a more consistent and cost-effective service and makes it easier to engage with Aucklanders on how we can all reduce waste," Haves said.
"With different legacy services across much of Auckland, the changes in North Shore and Papakura are part of a phased programme supporting the shift to rates funded, to ensure a smooth transition for everyone."
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