We chose these areas to represent a mix of households and people living in Auckland, including:

• larger households
• younger people
• different household income levels.

Many cities in New Zealand and overseas already have fortnightly rubbish collections, including Hamilton, Tauranga and parts of the United Kingdom.

Cities that have fortnightly rubbish collections with food scraps and recycling services see these benefits:

• households use food scraps and recycling bins more
• less rubbish goes to landfill
• no clear increase in illegal dumping.

Hamilton City Council made the switch in 2020, alongside introducing food scraps collections and improving recycling collections and households cut their rubbish by around 50 per cent. Tauranga City Council introduced the same system in 2021 and has seen similar results.

If the trial happens and you live in one of the chosen areas, and you already have weekly rubbish collection from Auckland Council, participation is mandatory.

The trial will also include non-residential properties that receive council collections, such as businesses and religious institutions. These properties can opt out of council collections if they wish.

The trial will exclude:

• multi-unit developments (such as apartment buildings) with non-standard (communal or on-site) rubbish collections.
• properties that only use private or non-council rubbish collections.

When all three bins are used correctly, we expect most households will be able to manage fortnightly rubbish collections. Sorting rubbish, recycling and food scraps keeps materials that can be reused or recycled out of landfill. This helps reduce harmful methane gas and saves resources.

Food scraps collected by Auckland Council are processed into clean energy and liquid fertiliser. This helps grow more food and reduces the need for synthetic fertilisers.

Recycling keeps paper, plastic, glass and metal in use. It reduces the need for new raw materials and cuts emissions from manufacturing.

Fewer rubbish collections mean fewer truck trips. This reduces fuel use, emissions and road wear. Over time, permanent fortnightly rubbish collections could lower service delivery costs.

Since rubbish and recycling will be collected every other week, fewer bins will be left on the street at the same time. This will improve the look and feel of neighbourhoods and reduce clutter on the street.

If the trial goes ahead, the ratepayer for your property will receive a one-off rates remission (reduction) applied to the final rates instalment for the 2026 financial year (due Friday 29 May 2026). The amount of the remission will be based on household rubbish bin size when the trial starts.

The proposed remission amounts are:

• 80L rubbish bin (small): $23.30

• 120L rubbish bin (standard): $28.00

• 240L rubbish bin (large): $46.50

We will confirm any changes to your collection day before the trial starts and notify you well in advance.

Standard public holiday arrangements will continue to apply. We will let you know about any changes ahead of time.

Help for mobility-impaired residents will continue. Households that need help with food scraps bins will still get weekly support. Households that only need help with rubbish bins will get support every two weeks, matching the new collection schedule.

We will contact all households using assisted services to keep them directly informed.

Putting food scraps into the food scraps bin helps rubbish bins smell much less.

To manage other smells, you can:

• wrap nappies before putting them in the bin
• sprinkle baking soda in your bins
• keep your bins in the shade.

We will provide more information on reducing smells if the trial goes ahead.

Auckland Council will monitor the trial closely and respond to any illegal dumping.

In other parts of New Zealand and overseas, moving to less frequent rubbish collections have not necessarily led to more illegal dumping or littering.

We will work with households that need extra support. Options include:

• additional food scrap bin
• extra or larger recycling bins
• extra or larger rubbish bins will also available after households have had the chance to give the proposed trial a go.

More information can be found in the consultation document.

You can choose a smaller (80L) rubbish bin and pay a lower targeted rate.

Households in the trial that produce little waste and only put out their small (80L) rubbish bin once a month or less during the trial can apply for a $20 supermarket voucher to thank them for reducing waste.

If the trial goes ahead, trial participants can get the following bins at no cost:

- an additional rubbish bin

- a larger recycling bin, and/or

- a second food scraps bin

Other options available at no cost, but must be requested by your landlord or property manager, include:

- a larger rubbish bin

- an additional recycling bin

At the end of the trial, you need to:

• return any additional rubbish bins
• return to your original bin sizes unless your ratepayer has agreed to pay the extra rates charges for these bins.

Details on how to request extra or larger bins — whether you are a property owner or tenant — will be included in the information we send directly to participating households ahead of the trial starting.

To help reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to landfill, you can:

• use your food scraps bin weekly to keep food waste out of your rubbish bin
• recycle correctly by only putting plastics 1, 2 and 5, glass, tins, paper and cardboard in your recycling bin
• choose reusable cups, nappies, sanitary products and containers
• repair, reuse or donate items where possible
• take items that do not go in kerbside bins to community recycling centres or resource recovery parks.

During the trial we will monitor bin use by checking fullness and contents. This will help us see how households are managing and where extra support may be needed.

As with current practice, bins may be stickered and left uncollected if they are:

• overfilled
• too heavy
• have rubbish placed beside them
• contain the wrong items.

These checks help households get the best out of their bins and reduce issues like contamination.

If problems arise, we will provide tips and information on using recycling and food scraps services. Monitoring and feedback will help make sure collections remain safe, reliable and efficient.

• Waste Minimisation and Management Plan 2024

• Policy and Planning Committee resolution (PEPCC/2024/111) – 10 October 2024

• Evidence summary on fortnightly collections

• Visit our Waste Nothing website for more ideas on how you can reduce your waste and connect with community partner organisations and zero waste programmes.

Nearest Community Recycling Centre (CRC):

• Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre – 990 Great North Road, Western Springs.

• Tipping Point, Waitākere Resource Recovery Park, 50 The Concourse, Henderson.

Check hours and accepted items before you go.

Soft plastic recycling:

• Woolworths Te Atatū South (Cnr Edmonton & Te Atatū Rd) and Woolworths Westgate / The Warehouse Westgate (Westgate Shopping Centre).

Nearest Community Recycling Centre (CRC):

• Tāmaki Zero Waste Hub – 153 Pilkington Road, Point England.

Check hours and accepted items before you go.

Soft plastic recycling:

• Woolworths Mt Wellington (Cnr Penrose Rd & Mt Wellington Hwy) and The Warehouse Lunn Ave (Stonefields).

For more info on what’s accepted, check out the soft plastic recycling scheme.

Nearest Community Recycling Centre (CRC):

• Manurewa Community Recycling Centre – 38 Holmes Road, Manurewa

Check hours and accepted items before you go.

Soft plastic recycling:

• New World Southmall (Manurewa) and The Warehouse Manukau (Cavendish Dr).

For more info on what’s accepted, check out the soft plastic recycling scheme.