Aucklanders paying for food scrap bins despite majority of households not using them
AM revealed on Tuesday that only 35 to 40 percent of households, who have received the bins, have been consistently using them. This equates to 115,000 households, on average, using the service every week.
Appearing on AM, Auckland councillor Richard Hills said they are only halfway through the rollout, so roughly half of all households don't have the bins yet, and many only recently received them.
He doesn't believe the bins are a waste of ratepayer money and hopes the service will ramp up.
"It is pretty good for a brand-new service that is changing behaviour," Hills said. "It's collected about 5000 tonnes already."
The bins can be used for food scraps, meat bones, flowers and coffee grounds. They are collected during the household's rubbish collection day each week and then turned into clean energy and liquid fertiliser.
The council said it will help reach the target goal of zero waste by 2040.
"We are hoping to reduce about half of the 100,000 tonnes of food waste that goes into landfill each year," Hills said.
"Over time, that will reduce our need for landfills, it's got a benefit for the overall city."
===========================================
www.newshub.co.nz....
==========================================
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
52.7% Human-centred experience and communication
-
14.8% Critical thinking
-
29.8% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.7% Other - I will share below!
Loading…
