Keeping up with the Kerbsiders

On this page:

• Focus on food scraps
• Replacing Para Kai Bins
• Free household battery recycling collection service
• Free tyre recycling

If you're passionate about reducing waste or want to learn more about how you can step up your rubbish or recycling efforts, you've come to the right place!

Our Keeping up with the Kerbsiders site is a place where you can learn all about Hauraki District's rubbish and recycling initiatives for your family of kerbside bins. Enter our surveys, take our quizzes or ask questions about our kerbside services - we'd also love to hear your ideas and suggestions for services you'd like to see.

Focus on food scraps

Ka pai Judy! The happy winner of our Para Kai | Food Scraps survey competition. Judy’s name was chosen randomly from all the entries but turns out she loves her para kai bin and said this kitchen caddy is the cherry on the cake! “This will save me going to the outside bin each time – now I’ll just collect my scraps in this cute caddy first!”. If you want one too, head to www.hauraki-dc.govt.nz/rubbish-recycling/changes-rubbish-recycling-service/para-kai-food-scraps

It's been twelve months since food scraps collection at kerbside started so we were keen to know what you think. We asked 'Are you using it? If not, why not?'

Watch this space for survey results - our Waste Management team is working on the results now.

Did you know?

We've collected 222 tonnes of food scraps from September 2023 to the end June 2024!

Together, we're turning food waste into a valuable resource - compost!

Survey Findings and First Steps: Replacing Para Kai Bins

Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent food scraps bin survey – we had a fantastic response. The feedback highlighted what’s working well and where we can improve. A common concern was the durability of the original dark green bins, with reports of broken handles and lids.

As our first step, we’re offering free replacements for damaged original bins.

1. Clean your damaged Para Kai | Food Scraps Bin.
2. Bring your cleaned bin to one of our service centres to swap it for a new one.

For more information, visit our main HDC website

Free household battery recycling collection service

You've asked for it – we've got it!

Started Thursday 22 August 2024

Hauraki District Council is all charged up to announce our new household battery recycling collection service!

We’re partnering with Phoenix Recycling Group to give more power to your recycling efforts.

From Thursday 22nd August you'll be able to hand over your used, small household batteries to our Customer Service staff in our three service centres or to our attendants at our Waihī and Paeroa Refuse Transfer Stations. If you have over 1kg of small household batteries there is a charge of $5 per kilo at the Refuse Transfer Stations.

Together with Phoenix Recycling Group we’re working to reduce the number of household batteries ending up in landfill –that’s got to be good for the environment and handy for you too. No more used batteries rolling around in your kitchen drawer or risk of fires in bins or collection trucks!

As a safety precaution, please tape over the battery terminals with household cellotape and ideally, pop them in a zip lock plastic bag or put them in their original packaging. Any plastics or packaging will be recycled by Phoenix Recycling Group.

Phoenix Recycling Group is a New Zealand-based company that specialises in the sustainable recycling of over 20 types of domestic, commercial, and industrial batteries.

Learn more about the service

Check out what types of batteries we can accept over the counter and at our refuse transfer stations. Household batteries are free to recycle but some non-household batteries and e-waste have a fee for disposal at our refuse transfer stations.

Check the current Fees and Charges to find out more.

It's here - free tyre recycling!

You can now drop off up to five end-of-life tyres for free at our transfer stations thanks to a nationwide tyre recycling initiative from Tyrewise supported by the Ministry for the Environment. This initiative aims to turn tyres into a reuseable resource and reduce tyre waste ending up in landfills or being illegally dumped.

What you need to know

• Drop-Off Limit: Up to 5 tyres per visit.
• Tyre Condition: Tyres must be clean and free of dirt. Please note that tyre rims are not accepted.
• No Cost: There’s no extra cost for residents to dispose of tyres at transfer stations—it's all covered by a tyre stewardship fee added to new tyre purchases.
• Where to Recycle Your Tyres: Visit our local transfer station in Paeroa or Waihī or a designated collection site to drop off your tyres.

How It Works:

The tyre recycling program is funded by a small stewardship fee applied to all new tyres sold in Aotearoa. This fee ensures that tyres are properly managed at the end of their life, either being recycled or repurposed into new products. The Tyrewise scheme, supported by the Ministry for the Environment and operated by Auto Stewardship New Zealand, manages this process.

Why Recycle Tyres?

Tyres take up to 80 years to decompose in landfills, posing a significant environmental risk. Recycling tyres not only prevents this but also allows them to be transformed into useful products like playground surfaces, road materials, outdoor furniture, and erosion control barriers.