Kerbside recycling bins will be introduced in Hastings in May. Photo / Hastings District Council
Hasting District Council will be rolling out wheelie bins and recycling crates in the coming months, as part of sweeping changes to kerbside waste collection.
Those who live within the collection zones will be provided with three 45-litre crates for recycling starting mid-March.
Collection will begin May 1 and Smart Environmental Ltd has been given the contract.
The crates are being introduced to ensure recycling is correctly separated.
The single-use plastic rubbish bags will also be replaced with 120-litre general rubbish wheelie bins.
This collection will begin on July 1 and will be carried out by JJ's Waste & Recycling Ltd, and bins will start being distributed at the beginning of June.
The new bins will also bring a focus of removing green waste from the rubbish bins as it does not break down effectively at the landfill.
A Hastings District Council spokesperson said residents needed to use their own composting methods or other green waste disposal methods.
The new service will continue to be funded through a charge on waste.
The spokesperson said the changes are "designed to promote more household recycling and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill".
About a third of the 90,000 tonnes of waste sent to Omaranui landfill each year come from kerbside collections.
A 2019 solid waste survey showed that over 60 per cent of what people put in the rubbish could be composted or recycled.
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said: "We do understand that one solution may not fit everyone, and these changes could provide challenges for some people.
"We are working through these challenges to provide solutions for those residents in our community that may physically struggle with these changes.
"In the run up to the new service we will be out and about with the new trucks.
"We look forward to speaking to as many people as possible in person and answering your questions about the new service and sharing with you ideas on how you can make landfill your last choice," she said.
Napier introduced recycling crates in November 2019.