Wheelie bins for all in Super City's rubbish plan

Auckland's future waste disposal is likely to have wheelie bins for all. Photo / Dean Purcell

Auckland's future waste disposal is likely to have wheelie bins for all, an online market for dumped inorganics, and the biggest polluters footing the bill.

The region now has a mish-mash of user-pays and rates-subsidised collections using bags or bins.

The Auckland Council is aiming to expand the best systems to all seven territories and introduce innovations to cut waste by 40 per cent before 2025.

Next month, residents will have their say on their preferred options for kerbside collection, but the council has already indicated some systems it is interested in.

Environment and Sustainability Forum chairman Wayne Walker said Aucklanders had to be encouraged more to reduce waste.

research showed charging for waste was the best way to achieve this.

The user-pays system used by the former Waitakere City Council was "very economical, the cheapest in the region, and also offers a lot of service."

Financial incentives were a significant factor.

"One of the problems we have in Auckland is that it is too cheap to throw stuff out."

If user-pays is introduced throughout the region, it could save around $30 million in rates.

One of the proposals being considered is to give residents a choice of 120 or 240-litre bins, place barcodes on them, and charge for the number of times they are emptied.

Mr Walker said wheelie bins could be favoured over rubbish bags for all of Auckland, except in rural areas and high-density buildings.

Wheelie bins were more convenient than bags to use, had less spillage and were less smelly if residents wanted them collected only once a month.

Local boards have reportedly indicated that they would prefer a three-bin system, with separate bins for organic waste and recycling.

Independent studies have shown that there could be benefits to dividing the waste stream further still, by separating garden and food waste or glass and paper at the kerbside.