Changes to Rubbish and Recycling

A new weekly rubbish and fortnightly recycling service, paid for through rates will be in place from 1 July 2021.

How will it work?

Recycling

For recycling, your household will get a 240-litre wheelie bin for mixed recycling, and a 45-litre crate for glass, both collected fortnightly.

Rubbish

For rubbish your household will get to choose from three options:

• A 80L bin collected weekly
• A 120L bin collected weekly (default option)
• Or a 240L bin collected weekly

Green waste

You’ll also get to choose whether you want a green waste collection service. We would give your household a 240-litre green waste wheelie bin that would be collected every four weeks.

You'd only pay for this service if you opt-in by 31 March each year. The green waste bin would only be for garden waste, not food waste.

Cost

The new rubbish service is cheaper for most households that use more than one rubbish bag per week. The indicative cost is:

• $144 a year or $2.77 per week for a 120L bin (default option)
• $114 a year or $2.19 per week for an 80L bin
• $288 a year or $5.54 per week for a 240L bin

An effective recycling system will cost the city less over time as landfill charges increase.

Recycling charges will increase to $105 per year. This is an increase from the current charge of $40 per year and breaks down to $2.02 per week.

Why are these changes happening?

Rubbish and recycling services have not changed for almost 20 years in Lower Hutt. We need a modern approach, that is environmentally-friendly and easier for more people to use.

The new approach will mean that residents will have access to a modern rubbish service and a fit-for-purpose recycling service. This is a big change to the way rubbish and recycling is managed across Lower Hutt - our new approach will be more financially and environmentally sustainable.

Benefits of the new service

The new service will:

• mean no more Hutt City Council rubbish bags from 1 July 2021 which is safer for the workers collecting rubbish
• have provisions in place to help residents in hilly suburbs and people with disabilities or mobility issues
• be available to everyone who lives in our city, in a standard way
• in many cases it will save you money
• mean that there are fewer trucks on the road which is better for the environment
• pay its employees the living wage

Next steps

You’ll hear more from us soon about the upcoming changes and to select the option that best suits you.

More information

Check out our FAQs for answers to questions like:

• Can I change my bin size?
• What about people in units or apartments?
• How will elderly people, those with disabilities or mobility challenges access the new services?
• What about long hilly driveways?
• And what about narrow rural roads?
• What about people who rent their property?
• I have an annual contract, what should I do?

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For information on the consultation process, check out our Have your Say website.