Garden and food waste

Other options

If you are too busy to compost, or don't have room for composting bins you can try the alternatives below:

	Garden rubbish collection service
	Mulching and grass cycling
	Transfer stations

Garden rubbish collection service

Garden waste bin

There are several private companies that offer a garden rubbish collection service. Visit the Yellow pages website and search on 'Garden bags and bins' and 'Auckland region'.

If you kept your green 240-litre green-lidded wheelie bin when Auckland City introduced the 120-litre red-lidded wheelie bins, but haven't used it, shop around. Having your own bin should enable you to get a better deal. If you don't have a bin, your collector will provide you with either a bin or bag. Note: under Auckland City's bylaw, the 240-litre bins are only for garden waste.

The bylaw describes garden waste as any organic material which results from domestic gardening activities and includes vegetative material but not tree trunks or limbs larger than 100mm in diameter. It does not include:

animal products (eg manure, feathers, carcasses)
hazardous substances
treated timber
food scraps
soil, other than soil attached to plants.

Mulching and grass cycling

Recycle your grass clippings by leaving them on the lawn after mowing to return vital nutrients to the soil. This retains moisture, reduces the number of times you mow and the time it takes to mow. Remember to only cut the top third of the grass each time and consider replanting sections of your lawn with slow growing native ground covers.

Transfer stations

Transfer stations take bags of grass clippings as well as car-boot and trailer loads of garden prunings. Your garden waste will be recycled into compost if you ensure it is separated from other rubbish. It is also cheaper to dispose of it this way. Contact the transfer stations directly for prices and opening hours.

Reviewed - March 2007.