Standardising Kerbside Strategy Takes Effect from February 2024

From February 1, 2024, all councils across New Zealand will only accept plastic numbers 1, 2 and 5 for kerbside recycling.

This is part of the Ministry for the Environment's Standardising Kerbside strategy, which aims to improve recycling processes.

At present, plastics with numbers 3, 4, 6 and 7 – described as 'hard to recycle' – make up just 5% of all kerbside recycling.

A soft plastics recycling scheme continues to operate in selected stores.

Council's Sustainable Resource Recovery Director, Tania Hermann, said the national strategy is intended to improve the efficiency of recycling.

She encouraged residents to reduce, reuse and refill containers before recycling them.