Auckland Council is proposing a regionwide rates-funded rubbish collection service, which could introduce a council rubbish collection in Rodney in the financial year 2024/2025.
Give your feedback as part of Auckland Council’s Annual Budget consultation – have your say before 28 March.
The proposal
The service will include a choice of three rubbish bin sizes and costs (80-litre, 120-litre, 240-litre). The smallest bin (or bag equivalent) is estimated to be an annual rate of $124, which is comparable to today’s private sector pricing. Rural residents would be able to request a supply of rubbish bags instead of a bin.
Under this proposal, everyone is on the same pricing structure no matter where you live. Auckland Council does not profit from waste services. Any cost savings are passed on to the ratepayers. Rates are set based on the cost of providing the service, which includes collection and disposal. Auckland Council contracts to private collectors to operate the kerbside collections throughout the region.
“Auckland Council wants everyone to have access to the same fair and affordable service. In addition to customers saving money, we have the best ability to influence waste minimisation by having everyone on the same collection services,” says Parul Sood, Auckland Council Waste Solutions General Manager.
Auckland Council also plans to allow non-residential properties (excluding lifestyle properties) to opt-out of council waste services and charges at their request, effective from 1 July 2023. The kerbside service is more suitable for domestic waste than business and farm waste, and we cannot effectively assess the suitability of services for these 31,000 properties on a case-by-case basis. Properties that opt-out of the rubbish and recycling charges would still pay a minimum contribution to regional waste initiatives.
Getting to zero waste
Auckland has a goal of zero waste by 2040. Research has found that a user pays model did not reduce waste tonnages differently than in the rates-funded areas. The pay as you throw system is more expensive than the proposed rates-funded service would be.
The consultation is looking for feedback on whether to proceed with the transition to a pay as you throw system or whether Aucklanders prefer the rates-funded model.
When the food scraps service expands across Auckland in 2023, it is expected to reduce the amount of rubbish collected. This service will be operational in 2023 and is paid for through a targeted rate in areas that have the service available. The food scraps service is proposed to be available in urban parts of Rodney like Warkworth, Kumeu, and Riverhead.
We would like to see Auckland get to a place where weekly collections are no longer needed for rubbish, and we could offer a fortnightly option at a lower cost.
Auckland Council also continues to support community education and resources to reduce waste to landfill, including community compost initiatives.
The Rodney Local Board area has the most Community Recycling Centres in Auckland. Visit one in Warkworth, Helensville, or Wellsford to drop off unwanted items or pick up something unique.
Contact your local community recycling centre for more information.
Have your say
Visit akhaveyoursay for more information and to respond to the proposal.
Visit OurAuckland for more details on the waste proposal in the annual budget consultation.
