KEY POINTS:
Households in Penrose and Onehunga have started receiving the first new recycling bins that will be distributed around Auckland City and Manukau in the next three months.
About 1500 of the first batch of bins were delivered yesterday but they cannot be used for collections until July, when all 150,000 will be in place.
The Auckland and Manukau city councils have launched the 240-litre wheelie bins to improve recycling by allowing all suitable material such as glass, plastics and paper to be put in the same bin.
Warwick Jaine, the manager of recycling and waste operations, said the new bins were the same size as the former wheelie bins, which in turn were twice the size of the red-lidded rubbish bins currently in use.
In Auckland they would have blue lids and in Manukau yellow lids.
Mr Jaine said they should not be unwieldy and were expected to weigh not much more that the smaller rubbish bins as the contents should not be as dense and heavy.
The new bins, with street address numbers, would be delivered to footpaths and kerbsides of all eligible properties in three stages starting with the eastern part of the Auckland City, east of Manukau Rd.
Next month, they will be delivered to the western side of the city and in June the central city. Manukau City Council will start distributing the bins in a couple of weeks.
The Waitakere and North Shore councils already have their own recycling schemes, so residents there will not be in for any change.
Mr Jaine said a bin information pack was attached to the top of the bin lid containing a brochure with details about the new service and a fridge magnet recycling collection calendar.
The recycling collections will be the same day as the rubbish collection but only once a fortnight, instead of weekly.
Normal household rubbish will still be collected weekly.
Underneath the bin lid residents will find a sticker listing items that can and cannot be recycled.
The new bins and recycling service are expected to lift recycling rates by between 15 to 25 per cent and significantly cut waste sent to landfills.
WHY THE BIG BINS?
The councils say:
* All-in-one recycling wheelie bins reduce confusion.
* Fortnightly collections will mean fewer vehicle emissions.
* Closed bin lids will avoid problems of wind-blown litter.
* Wheeled bins are easier and safer to move around.
For more information go to: www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/recycling or call (09) 379 2028.
