Recycling - what we collectTe hangarua - ngā mea e taea ana e mātau te kohi

What’s up with Plastics?

#1. PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) – RECYCLABLE

#1 PET is one of the easiest plastics to recycle and therefore the most valuable. PET is most commonly used for soft drink and water bottles - clear and coloured bottles - in a range of sizes. Other uses of PET include cleaning containers, personal care bottles, some meat trays, punnets for berries and tomatoes, and plastic clam shells for muffins and baked goods.

Check the recycling triangle to see if your plastics container is a #1. If it is, add your clean #1 plastics into your Plastics and Cans recycling crate.

#2. HDPE (High density polyethylene) – RECYCLABLE

Like PET, #2 HDPE is also easily recyclable.

In the household setting, HDPE is most commonly used for dairy containers such as milk and cream bottles, and SOME ice-cream containers, juice bottles, shampoo, cleaning and detergent bottles.

Check the recycling triangle to see if your plastics container is a #2. If it is, add your clean #2 plastics into your Plastics and Cans recycling crate.

#5. PP (Polypropylene) – RECYCLABLE

PP is a hard but flexible plastic with waxy surface that is versatile and easy to recycle.

Plastics #5 is largely used for a wide range of food packaging such as margarine containers, large yoghurt containers, take away containers, ice cream containers and dips. This packaging comes in many colours, including clear, black and white.

Check the recycling triangle to see if your plastics container is a #5. If it is, add your clean #5 plastics into your Plastics and Cans recycling crate.

Remember to look for the recycling number

Plastic items should always be carefully checked for a recycling number before they are put into your recycling bin. Unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules on what is and isn’t a certain plastic type e.g. one yogurt manufacturer could use plastic #5 for their packaging while another could use #6.

Recycling Reminders

1. Use only your three black NCC owned and provided crates to put out your kerbside recycling. No other container will be accepted.
2. Don't overfill your crates. Only fill your crates so they are level or below the top.
3. Your weekly allowance is three crates. You can use this as you wish, e.g. two crates plastic/cans and one paper/cardboard.
4. Don't mix types of recycling. Mixed crates won’t be accepted.
5. Contaminated crates won’t be accepted. Remove all food, liquids and plastic wrap/sleeves. Rinse and squash items if required.
6. Weekly collections. Your recycling service will be collected weekly. Please put your crates out at your kerbside by 7am on your collection day. Place your crates at the berm. If you live down a right-of-way put your crates at the kerbside at the end of your right-of-way.
7. Smart Trucks. Smart Environmental has designated trucks to collect different materials, so please don't be concerned if not all items are collected by the first truck. Smart collections run from 7am - 6pm.

When is my recycling collected?

To find out what day we collect from your house weekly, enter your address into our Rubbish and Recycling Database.

Why has my recycling been left behind?

Some or all items in a crate may be left behind. If items are left behind a sticker will be left on them to tell you why, to help you get it right for the next time. Here's some of the reasons why this could happen:

• Non-council crates(s) used
• Crate(s) not placed at kerb
• Over-filled crate(s)
• Item(s) are not accepted in Napier
• Items not contained in crates
• The item(s) haven't been rinsed or cleaned

What can I put in my recycling crates?

• Paper & cardboard 
• Glass bottles & jars
• Plastic (1, 2 & 5) 
• Cans 

Please note this EXCLUDES the following items:

• Broken glass 
• Soft plastics 
• Items that have not been rinsed or cleaned 
• Medical syringes or plastic parts of medical syringes
• Long-life milk cartons  

Reducing waste 

Omarunui landfill takes about 90,000 tonnes of waste every year.

Half of what is sent to Omarunui could be recycled or composted. Omarunui Landfill has a finite lifespan, dependent on the quanitity of waste going in. If there is opportunity to divert material from Omarunui landfill the lifespan will be maximised.

Our Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP) adopted in late 2018 aims to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by promoting the Five Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover and Residual Management.

If you have have any questions about kerbside recycling please go to our Frequently Asked Questions.