Recycling what we can
Kerbside recycling national changes
Rotorua Lakes Council is reminding residents to only put the following recyclables in their kerbside recycling bins:
- Plastic bottles , trays and containers numbered 1, 2 and 5
- Paper and cardboard (including pizza boxes)
- Food and drink tins and cans
- Glass bottles and jars (in the blue crate)
Changes are happening across New Zealand as part of the Government’s move to standardise household kerbside recycling from 1 February 2024, led by the Ministry for the Environment.
We already collect the standard set of items in Rotorua.
Soft plastics including frozen food bags and chip packets can be recycled at Countdown, but not in our kerbside bins.
What is changing?
From 1 February, materials collected from households for recycling will be standardised across New Zealand.
Only these things can be recycled from home:
- Plastic bottles, trays and containers numbered 1, 2 and 5 only
- Food and drink tins and cans
- Paper and cardboard
- Glass bottles and jars
Why are these changes happening?
Collecting the same materials in kerbside recycling services will make it easier for everyone to put items in the right bin no matter where they are in New Zealand.
It will also help businesses to design and manufacture packaging they know can be recycled from anywhere in the country.
The changes will also help recycling facilities by improving the quality of the materials they receive, so they can recycle more.
How should I prepare my items for recycling?
Take off the lids, rinse out any dirty items, and put your containers out for recycling.
What should I do with my lids?
Please keep them out of your household recycling. Some drop-off recycling centres accept lids. We do not currently collect lids in Rotorua.
Why can’t I recycle lids from home?
Lids are too small to be separated by machinery at recycling plants. Sorting machinery can also mistake flat lids for paper, so they contaminate paper recycling.
Why can’t I recycle plant pots?
Some plant pots are plastic #5 and some aren’t but they can look identical. Plant pots are mainly black. Black plastic can’t be recognised by optical sorters so they end up not being recycled. The NZ Plant Producers Institute is working on how best to increase the reusability and recyclability of plant pots and recover them for recycling (nzppi.co.nz).
How well do I need to rinse my recycling?
A quick scrub out in cold water is enough. You could rinse your recycling when you’re doing your dishes.
Do I need to take the labels off my cans and containers before recycling?
No, you don’t need to do that for most items. At the processing facility there is machinery that removes labels. Some drink bottles have a plastic sleeve which covers the whole of the bottle. These do need to be removed.
Where can I take these products?
Just because an item is not accepted for recycling at kerbside does not mean it cannot be recycled at all.
You can find a list of recycling drop-off centres for some other items on our website.
Should I take the lids off my food tins?
Either leave the lid attached and fold it into the can, or place removed lids inside the can and squeeze the can shut securely.
Are aerosols a health and safety hazard?
When not completely empty, aerosols can explode under pressure and cause fires at recycling facilities. Some aerosols contain poisonous contents such as insecticides and automotive sprays. Staff at recycling facilities may be exposed to these contents when aerosols are damaged or crushed for baling.
What happens to my recycling?
Visit environment.govt.nz/recycle for detailed information on what happens to your recycling.
What is meant by contamination and why do we need to prevent it?
Recycling contamination refers to:
- Any items which are not on the list above of ‘what can be recycled’
- Any items (including recyclables) which are very dirty or still have food or product in them
- Recyclable items which have been put into the wrong bin, for example a glass container which has been put into the yellow-lid bin.
Contamination can damage or dirty recyclable items and prevent them from being able to be sold and re-used. The huge volume of items our recycling services receive every day mean it’s just not possible for processing staff to pick things out and wash them manually, particularly when material has been caked in over a period of days or weeks! Damaged or soiled items also create safety risks for processing staff and equipment.
Some of the most common contamination items found in our recycling collections include:
- Dirty items – recyclable items with food or liquid still in them, oily paper or cardboard, used nappies
- Soft plastics – cling film, plastic bags, bubble wrap, zip lock bags, foil chip packets
- Single use coffee and drink cups – these can look like cardboard but usually have a plastic lining
- Liquid paperboard (e.g. Tetra Pak) – long-life milk, almond milk or liquid stock packaging
- Polystyrene – appliance packaging, packaging ‘peanuts’, takeaway containers
Reducing the level of contamination in recycling streams is very important in lowering the cost of recycling for everyone and maximising the amount of recyclables that can be turned into new items.
Why can't we recycle other plastics?
Plastics numbered 3, 4, 6 and 7 are not currently able to be recycled via our kerbside collections as these plastics are difficult to recycle and low in value. New Zealand does not have the required infrastructure to process large volumes of these onshore and there are limited opportunities in offshore markets. Other countries produce and use more of these plastic types and already saturate what has become a limited and controlled market for trade and recycling of these materials.
Many product and packaging companies are moving toward using plastics 1, 2 and 5 because of their higher recyclability and value. You can help support this change by buying fewer products made from hard to recycle plastics. Avoidance is the always the most effective way to minimise waste. Avoid having the plastic in the first place, as often as you can, as this means you do not have to dispose of it once you have finished using it. If you are not able to avoid it, using the item less is another way to ensure you are throwing less of it away.
There are some material programmes separate to Council collections which can collect and recycle amounts of these materials, for example, Soft Plastic Recycling. Check these out online to find out more.
Check the label
It is important to check package labelling carefully when identifying whether an item can be recycled. Many people will recognise the recycling triangle symbol – this is quite thick and does not have a number inside. A common misconception is that this symbol means that an item is made from recycled materials or can definitely be recycled. It is important to know that this is an international symbol indicating only that an item may be recyclable but that it depends on the processes and markets available to different countries and areas.
For plastics specifically, the triangle symbol will be thinner and have a number in the middle. This tells you what type of plastic the material is.
View more information on plastic types
If you have any questions or would like support with your recycling, get in touch recycling@rotorualc.nz.
See recycling sorting in action at the Materials Recovery Facility in Kopu
As much as possible, recycling is sold and processed within New Zealand. Here is one example:
Resources and information
Rotorua Lakes Council can provide presentations or workshops to support groups and individuals in understanding recycling information and processes. If you would like to find out more, please get in touch recycling@rotorualc.nz.
What happens at Oji Fibre Solutions - Full circle with your cardboard
Can I recycle these? (Poster) (PDF 216 KB)
Can I recycle these? (Brochure) (PDF 397 KB)