KEY POINTS:
Recycling volumes have rocketed since the introduction of giant recycling wheelie bins.
In Manukau City, 3407 tonnes have been processed since the service began in June.
Last month, recycling rose by 27 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The 240-litre wheelie bins - which replaced smaller blue crates - have resulted in a 10 per cent drop in waste at Auckland City's landfill compared to the amount collected during the same period last year.
A new, high-tech recycling facility in Onehunga will be formally opened today.
Using automated screens, magnets and optical machines, the $21.9 million Visy Materials Recovery Facility separates plastic glass, paper and cardboard, and sorts steel and aluminium cans from material collected from Manukau and Auckland households.
The streets of Auckland are already noticeably cleaner, with less plastic and paper left to be picked up, as more people - encouraged by the new bins - get in to the habit of reducing, reusing and recycling.
Acting Manukau Mayor Gary Troup said: "Early indications are that people have really embraced it ... It's also really great to see that our residents are putting the right things in their recycling bins, with very low contamination levels at the sorting facility."
Auckland City Council environmental and utility manager Michael McQuillan acknowledged that the new system had already shown promising results. "There is a 10 per cent reduction in the amount of waste going to our landfills - that's nearly 30 tonnes a day.
"Locals have also noticed that the streets are cleaner, with less wind-blown litter and broken glass than with the previous collection system."
Mr McQuillan said the council was looking into other initiatives such as trialling recycling bins in parks and at beaches.
The Onehunga recycling centre can process 23 tonnes an hour. Most of the recyclable material - 96 per cent - goes to the facility, with 4 per cent - including plastic bags and garden waste - ending up at the landfill.
