Thank you for having your say.

This consultation has closed.

Proposed changes to waste-related bylaw and controls

This consultation closed on 22 February 2026. Thank you for having your say. We will share updates on this page.

We want to improve our rules around how we manage waste in Auckland. This includes general rubbish from households and businesses, recyclable items and food scraps.

These rules are in place to help us:

  • address problems like:
    • bins blocking footpaths
    • the wrong types of waste going in recycle bins
  • get data about the kinds and amounts of waste licenced operators collect.

The current rules are set out in the:

They include rules around:

  • how to store waste
  • how to use kerbside and private property collection services
  • how to use public rubbish bins
  • licensing of waste and rubbish collectors.

These rules are part of a broader framework that guides how Auckland manages and reduces waste. These include:

Review of current bylaw and controls

In 2025 we reviewed our waste management bylaw and controls to find out if they are working well or if they need updating.

To support our review, we:

  • looked at data for waste collection complaints and service levels
  • held workshops and meetings with Auckland Council teams, external stakeholders and mana whenua
  • sent surveys to Auckland Council teams and external stakeholders
  • looked at how other local councils work to reduce and manage waste.

What we are proposing

Most proposed changes will only have a small effect on people's day-to-day waste activities, while other changes will only affect waste collectors and facilities.

We propose to:

  • update licensing rules for waste collectors by:
    • removing the licence exemption for collecting less than 20 tonnes of waste a year
    • adding exemptions for 'incidental' waste collections, like waste from a landscape gardener
    • making licensing rules easier to follow.
  • require more waste facilities to have a council licence so we can get data on the types and amounts of waste collected. These facilities include:
    • cleanfills (landfills for natural products like clay, gravel rock and soil)
    • scrap metal dealers
    • e-waste facilities
    • food and garden waste facilities.
  • provide more waste disposal options like soft plastics drop-offs at supermarkets.
  • add rules about:
    • storing waste properly, including to prevent it from blowing away
    • waste collections from private properties, including for inorganic collections.
  • make the council’s rules clearer and easier to understand, like rules about:
    • abandoning shopping trolleys
    • how to dispose of waste at events
    • approvals for donation collection bins - where they can go and what can go in them
    • putting marketing flyers on vehicles.
  • follow the rules set out in the Auckland Unitary Plan, other waste bylaw rules and the Litter Act 1979 around disposing of waste from:
    • multi-unit developments, composting, burials and burning
    • from unaddressed mail like flyers left in letter boxes.
  • better explain the rules in the 2023 Collections Control about:
    • approved waste collection bins, bags and instructions
    • what kinds of waste can go in which bins and bags
    • what kinds of waste cannot go in recycle and food scrap bins
    • leaving waste in public waste bins.

What happens next

  • April 2026 -Local boards discuss public feedback and decide on views at business meetings.
  • May 2026 - The Bylaw Panel makes recommendations to the Governing Body.
  • June-July 2026 - the Governing Body will make decisions about the proposed changes.