Aucklanders on the North Shore will no longer need to use prepaid bin tags from 3 March 2025 as council rubbish collections will be funded by residential property rates.
The North Shore is moving from pay-as-you-throw collections to rates-funded as part of a regionwide move towards a standardised waste service for Auckland.
Auckland Council General Manager Waste Solutions Justine Haves says that standardising waste services across Auckland will give everyone access to the same service at the same cost, wherever they live.
“Having everyone on a unified collection service, that includes recycling and food scraps, gives us the best chance to minimise waste and reduce emissions as we work towards Auckland’s goal of zero waste by 2040,” says Ms Haves.
“We want to protect Auckland’s natural environment by reducing reliance on landfills, while keeping costs for Aucklanders as low as possible. A universal rates-funded rubbish collection helps us to deliver a more consistent and cost-effective service and makes it easier to engage with Aucklanders on how we can all reduce waste,” she says.
The targeted rates charge for a property’s rubbish collection will depend on the size of the bin. With a choice of three bin sizes, Aucklanders can choose the size that best meets their individual household’s needs.
“If households use their food scrap bins and recycling bins regularly, most will find that a smaller rubbish bin than they have now will work for them. Many people don’t realise that food scraps contribute significantly to harmful greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, and prior to the introduction of the food scraps collection, waste audits found that up to half of the weight of rubbish bins consisted of this waste,” says Ms Haves.
“For larger households that require a larger bin even after they are using all three waste bins correctly, there is an option for the ratepayer to request a larger bin from Auckland Council, for a slightly higher cost to that household’s rates.”
Bin tags will be accepted on council bins until Friday 28 February on the North Shore. After this date, North Shore residents can get a refund from local libraries for unused bin tags for a limited time - from Saturday 1 March 2025 to Wednesday 30 April 2025.
Papakura
The changes are being rolled out in pay-as-you-throw areas over the next 12 months with Papakura moving to rates-funded rubbish collections starting on Thursday 1 May 2025.
Franklin and Rodney
Other areas moving to rates-funded collections are Franklin, which will change from council bags to bins in July 2025, followed two months later by Rodney, which currently has no council rubbish collections.
Central Auckland and Manukau already have rates-funded rubbish services.
Waitākere made the change from pay-as-you-throw to rates-funded rubbish services in December 2024. Waitākere residents can get a refund from local libraries for unused tags until 31 January 2025.
Anyone living in a rural zone who would like to continue using bags should email ratesfunded@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. Rural residents will still have options on the number of waste bags they would like to use, depending on their household requirements, and this is reflected in the targeted waste rate for each household.
For more information, including how to request a refund for unused bin tags, please visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/ratesfunded
