Aucklanders paying for food scrap bins despite majority of households not using them

Brian from Mount Roskill

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."
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