Key Proposal 2: Waste collection and funding changes
Do we introduce Council wheelie bins for rubbish and organics to reduce landfill waste?
We need to reduce waste going to landfill. We could do this by introducing new Council wheelie bins for rubbish, and separate ones for food scraps and garden waste. We’d introduce a new targeted rate to pay for this. If we change one part of the waste collection system it makes sense to look at the rest, so we are also reviewing our recycling and glass collection services. These changes are proposed to be introduced from July 2026 – any targeted rates would not come into effect until then.
There are six options for rubbish and organics:
- Weekly 50L rubbish bags and no organics collection – status quo.
- Fortnightly 50L rubbish bags and weekly 23L food only bin.
- Fortnightly 50L rubbish bags and weekly 80L food and garden wheelie bin.
- Weekly 80L rubbish wheelie bin and no organics collection.
- Fortnightly 120L rubbish wheelie bin and weekly 23L food only bin.
- Fortnightly 120L rubbish wheelie bin and Weekly 80L food and garden wheelie bin. (Preferred option.)
There are four options for recycling and glass:
- Fortnightly 140L recycling wheelie bin and fortnightly 45L glass crate – status quo.
- Fortnightly 140L recycling wheelie bin and four-weekly 80L glass wheelie bin.
- Fortnightly 240L recycling wheelie bin and fortnightly 45L glass crate. (Preferred option.)
- Fortnightly 240L recycling wheelie bin and four-weekly 80L glass wheelie bin.
Do we introduce Council wheelie bins for rubbish and organics to reduce landfill waste?
We need to reduce waste going to landfill. We could do this by introducing new Council wheelie bins for rubbish, and separate ones for food scraps and garden waste. We’d introduce a new targeted rate to pay for this. If we change one part of the waste collection system it makes sense to look at the rest, so we are also reviewing our recycling and glass collection services. These changes are proposed to be introduced from July 2026 – any targeted rates would not come into effect until then.
There are six options for rubbish and organics:
- Weekly 50L rubbish bags and no organics collection – status quo.
- Fortnightly 50L rubbish bags and weekly 23L food only bin.
- Fortnightly 50L rubbish bags and weekly 80L food and garden wheelie bin.
- Weekly 80L rubbish wheelie bin and no organics collection.
- Fortnightly 120L rubbish wheelie bin and weekly 23L food only bin.
- Fortnightly 120L rubbish wheelie bin and Weekly 80L food and garden wheelie bin. (Preferred option.)
There are four options for recycling and glass:
- Fortnightly 140L recycling wheelie bin and fortnightly 45L glass crate – status quo.
- Fortnightly 140L recycling wheelie bin and four-weekly 80L glass wheelie bin.
- Fortnightly 240L recycling wheelie bin and fortnightly 45L glass crate. (Preferred option.)
- Fortnightly 240L recycling wheelie bin and four-weekly 80L glass wheelie bin.
Check the other questions below - your question may already have an answer.
Please be concise and respectful in asking questions - we will do our best to respond promptly (usually by two working days). Some answers may take a bit longer to get the details right. We monitor the site from 8:30am - 5pm Monday to Friday.
Note: The question box is to enable us to provide any additional information to you to better inform your submission. We are unable to count any comment submitted in the questions box as a final submission.
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As a new home composter I am in favour of encouraging more organics to be kept out of the landfill. I am concerned about what happens if an organic waste container is contaminated by something other than the intended material (dog poo comes to mind), can this be extracted at the composting facility? If not, what happens to that batch?
JZFoster asked 12 days agoKia ora JZFoster,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
The selection of a preferred organics processing technology for the Wellington region will need to comply with Council's requirements. This includes having equipment in place to remove contaminants such as stones, glass, metal and plastics. Also, Council will be providing users of the service with information on what types of organic materials can be placed in the bin and what cannot be, as occurs for other cities providing this service (see link: How to use your food scraps bin (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz).
All products from the process will need to be tested and comply with appropriate standards such as New Zealand Compost Standard NZS 4454:2005.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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Are you able to provide details of the recycling processes for both glass and other recycling. We recycle everything we can but there is misinformation out there that it all goes to landfill anyway and I hear of some households that just don’t bother because of this. perhaps some education would be helpful . And has it ever been tabled to process our rubbish as they do in Copenhagen, turning it into energy for the city. Huge investment I know, but being an island nation is this not inevitable in the future? Thanks
Bronze asked 12 days agoKia ora Bronze,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
The answer from the Waste team is below:
Response
All of the recycling collected is sorted, processed and sold to end markets. There is on average 15% contamination in the bins due to unwanted items placed in the wrong bin. The processing facility still sorts this material as well, with very minimal amounts going to landfill.
The two collection methods proposed for glass impact the end product - when it is sorted at the kerb there are more options for how it can be recycled (ie into bottles). The proposed wheelie bin option would likely be cheaper but there would be less options for the end product as the glass isn't sorted (ie sand for road construction)
The preferred options and size of bins have been developed to give enough space with adequate frequency to be able to collect and divert waste.
Council regularly invests in behaviour change programmes to install the right habits required for recycling correctly.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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Will the organics waste collection you are proposing include collection of compostible packaging?
CarolF asked 13 days agoKia ora CarolF,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
You are allowed to put kitchen leftovers including vegetable and fruit peelings, cooked and uncooked meat, dairy products such as cream cheese or yoghurt, meat and fish bones, coffee grounds and tea leaves.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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What would this proposal look like for a group of town houses?
CarolF asked 13 days agoKia ora CarolF,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
Due to Wellington's topography and mix of suburban and intensified areas, WCC requires a hybrid approach to manage the waste collections. Therefore, a standardised solution such as ‘shared bins’ would not be practical.
The options analysis and supporting information that councils used to develop the consultation document is detailed in this business case (page 9)
The first stage of the proposal does not include some townhouses (for example those on private roads). However, the Council will be exploring options to service apartments in the next LTP (2027-2037).
Council is investigating options how best to provide rubbish, recycling and organics collection services to apartments and multiunit developments. Residents that receive recycling bins or bags will be reviewed as part of this proposal. It is our intention to provide recycling bins where it is safe and practicable to do so.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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Would inner city apartments which have their own private waste collection services be exempt from the targeted rate?
NeilC asked 13 days agoKia ora NeilC,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
Due to Wellington's topography and mix of suburban and intensified areas, WCC requires a hybrid approach to manage the waste collections. Therefore, a standardised solution such as ‘shared bins’ would not be practical.
The options analysis and supporting information that councils used to develop the consultation document is detailed in this business case (page 9)
The first stage of the proposal does not include apartments (Multi Unit Dwellings or the CBD). However, the Council will be exploring options to service apartments in the next LTP (2027-2037).
Council is investigating options how best to provide rubbish, recycling and organics collection services to apartments and multiunit developments. Residents that receive recycling bins or bags will be reviewed as part of this proposal. It is our intention to provide recycling bins where it is safe and practicable to do so.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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I lived in a newly built apartment block overseas that had a ground floor area for residents to put their recycling, rubbish and food waste in separate bins for regular collection by the council, or contractors. Will the council consider a requirement that new builds of multi occupancy buildings have such a facility and facilitate collection arrangements?
Erich asked 14 days agoKia ora Erich,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
Due to Wellington's topography and mix of suburban and intensified areas, WCC requires a hybrid approach to manage the waste collections. Therefore, a standardised solution such as ‘shared bins’ would not be practical.
The options analysis and supporting information that councils used to develop the consultation document is detailed in this business case (page 9)
The first stage of the proposal does not include apartments (Multi Unit Dwellings or the CBD). However, the Council will be exploring options to service apartments in the next LTP (2027-2037).
Council is investigating options how best to provide rubbish, recycling and organics collection services to apartments and multiunit developments. Residents that receive recycling bins or bags will be reviewed as part of this proposal. It is our intention to provide recycling bins where it is safe and practicable to do so.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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If you are upscaling recycling bins from 140L to 240L, what's your disposal plan for the old bins? Secondly, you say we need to reduce wastes, but why are you opting for bigger volume of bins?
Watashiwa asked 17 days agoKia ora Watashiwa,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
If the proposals are adopted by Council, a plan for implementation will be developed ahead of it being introduced from 2026 and beyond.
The proposed system change is an intervention to encourage desired behaviours to reduce waste. It is not incentivising people to create more waste. The case for diversion, which is the primary objective of this system change is listed on page 71 of the above linked business case.
A system that is convenient and affordable will encourage behaviours best suited for diversion of recycling materials and organics away from landfill. A rates funded model ensures everyone pays the same for the service they use, reducing inequities in the service. Council encourages composting at home, however our landfill receives approx 22,500 tonnes of organic material per annum that when landfill releases methane. A council organic service would ensure we divert organics from landfill and use it as a resource.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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An obvious question, but as an architect where are we to design a space for 4 to 5 bins per property? Ridiculous idea. For townhouses this will be a huge problem. We also have a problem for roads like Seatoun Heights where bins are left on footpaths. Kids going to school walk off the footpath into the traffic to go around them. People in pushchairs find it a nightmare. I saw a child one day fall off his scooter on the way to school due to the rubbish bins in the way. What you are proposing is more bins and no space on the properties or footpaths to support. Q1. Can you please advise how having 4 bins can be managed for space on properties? We are also not a flat city so this caused issues too. Q2. Can you opt out of rubbish and continue to have a small bin for recycling and glass? We currently use a 240L bin for rubbish. We have no food scraps but lots of plants so need a large bin for cuttings. 80L won’t be enough for us so we will need 5 bin storage and be paying extra in rates. Doesn’t work for us or probably anyone. Start again.
Travis Gray asked 15 days agoKia ora Travis,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
Due to Wellington’s topography, some households are not safe or practicable for a wheelie bin collection service. These households would need to remain on a bagged collection for rubbish and recycling, with a glass crate and 23L food scraps caddy where possible. In terms of volume, the number of recycling bags provided will need to increase in order to achieve the same volume as the larger bins.
The targeted rate will still apply, and the council will supply recycling and rubbish bags. However, residents that receive recycling bags will be reviewed as part of this proposal. It is our intention to provide recycling bins where it is safe and practicable to do so.
The Council is exploring whether to offer alternate bin sizes for residents to choose from, with the associated final targeted rate costs reflecting the bin size.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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Will the council review eligibility for wheelie bins when a new system is introduced? We live in a small culdesac and all of the residents have wheelie bins for recycling. We've been told we are not 'allowed'one due to due to access even though our access is as good as, if not better than others in the street. Secondly, will any bin alternatives be the same capacity? The plastic recycling bags dont fit nearly as much as a wheelie bin
ZaraC asked 13 days agoKia ora ZaraC,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
Due to Wellington’s topography, some households are not safe for a wheelie bin collection service. These households would need to remain on a bagged collection for rubbish and recycling, with a glass crate and 23L food scraps caddy where possible. In terms of volume, the number of recycling bags provided will need to increase in order to achieve the same volume as the larger bins.
The targeted rate will still apply, and the council will supply recycling and rubbish bags. However, residents that receive recycling bags will be reviewed as part of this proposal. It is our intention to provide recycling bins where it is safe and practicable to do so.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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Would this not be considered anti competitive behaviour and subject to an enquiry? How would this be allowing a free market to decide on what choice they wish to have, service they wish to receive and the benefits they receive if there is no abatement if a household chooses to use a private service? How would the costs be ensured to be fair and reasonable as there is a track record that council sometimes chooses an option that costs more and does not deliver as promised. Would there be an independent panel monitoring the way in which this service is managed?
Bakermg asked 12 days agoKia ora Bakermg,
Thank you for your question and your interest in the Long-term Plan.
Our current waste system is fragmented, inefficient and carries a big carbon footprint. Council is proposing to transition to a more equitable system with lesser emissions that will enable better diversion of materials. A system that is convenient and affordable will encourage behaviours best suited for diversion of recycling materials and organics away from landfill. A rates funded model ensures everyone pays the same for the service they use, reducing inequities in the service.
The rationale for the change, including the targeted rate, is discussed in the Collections and Processing Business Case here.
If implemented, the performance of this service would be reported in the quarterly performance committee to Councilors and senior Council Oofficers. Monitoring the service will be based on industry set KPIs for efficiency and diversion of material from landfill.
If you are ready to make a submission click here. Or download a hardcopy submission form here.
Ngā mihi
The Long-term Plan Engagement Team
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