No lids, caps and spray cans in your wheelie bin from 1 February
Published on 15 January 2024
Changes are coming to recycling in Palmy. From next month, you'll no longer be able to pop lids, caps, bottle-tops or spray cans in your orange-lid recycling wheelie bin.
The government is introducing standardised recycling for all kerbside collections across the country – to help make recycling consistent regardless of where you are in New Zealand and to reduce unnecessary waste going to landfill.
From 1 February 2024, all councils will have to accept the same materials in their kerbside collections.
Deputy Chair of the Sustainability Committee, Kaydee Zabelin, says fortunately, there will be few changes to kerbside recycling in Palmy.
"No one likes to hear that you can’t recycle as much, including us! While other councils are now being required to allow for more items to be recycled, the good news for Palmy residents is that we’re ahead of the pack and have already been doing this. That means there are only a couple of easy changes for our residents, with almost everything we already collect continuing to be able to be recycled in your orange-lid wheelie bin.”
The key changes that affect Palmerston North are no longer being able to put lids, caps or aerosol cans (like deodorant or fly spray cans) in your orange-lid wheelie bin.
The reason for excluding all aerosols in kerbside recycling across the country is mainly health and safety related. Most recycling plants in New Zealand don’t have the safety equipment needed to compact aerosols in a way that prevents fires and ducts any fumes outside of the building.
Until now, we’ve accepted bigger lids, like the lids on ice cream tubs. But now we won’t be able to accept any unless they’re attached to a recyclable bottle, tub or a tin can. The reason these need to go into your rubbish bin is because they’re often too small for recycling plants to sort successfully, and when lids are left closed on bottles or containers, liquid or food is more likely to remain inside and contaminate recycling. Detachable lids, caps and tops are also often a different grade of plastic from the base bottle or container.
The only exception is lids or caps that are tethered to a recyclable container (ie, it stays attached to the bottle, tin can or other container when open). These should be left open, with the tethered lid or cap still attached.
Photo: Recyclable bottles with tethered caps.
While lids are a no-no for your recycling bin, some organisations collect lids and bottle-tops for other uses, and childcare centres and schools often use them for crafts.
These changes to the standard materials for our kerbside collection are mandatory, and we all need to comply with the new rules.
The Ministry for the Environment is rolling out a nationwide campaign from 1 February to inform New Zealanders of the changes to kerbside recycling across the country. We’ll be doing the same, focusing on just the changes for Palmy so people don’t get confused.
Group Manager of Property and Resource Recovery, Bryce Hosking, says Palmy residents can be reassured that we can still recycle so many different materials in Palmy.
“This is a good reminder for everyone that heaps of items can still go in your recycling bin! Plastic bottles and containers (1, 2 and 5), cardboard, tins, can all still go in your wheelie bin. And aside from all the items we can accept at the kerb, you’re also able to drop off e-waste, almond milk containers, batteries, cooking oil and all sorts to our recycling centres across the city.”
Our popular What Goes Where tool is being updated for 1 February to reflect the new changes. The tool allows you to search items and see which bin it should go in, or any alternate options. We’re also updating our wheelie bin flyer, which serves as a visual reminder of what can and can’t go in your recycling bin. The new flyer will be available at our Customer Service Centre and on our website from 1 February.
Photo: Lids on cans are okay to recycle as long as they're still attached to the can.