Currently about 40% of our district’s rubbish bags is food scraps – the new food scraps bin means that this food waste will be turned into useful compost. —New Plymouth District Council (NPDC), September 2019

New Plymouth does much better than Kapiti

By Roger Childs

The  NPDC co-ordinates the rubbish collection in the Taranaki city, unlike here. The New Plymouth rates cover the kerbside collection. The exception is that green waste is collected by the private company —EnviroWaste. 

The Council is moving towards a goal of “Zero Waste” so residents have four bins for:

• Food scraps
• Recycling – no plastic bags or drink cartons
• Glass
• Landfill rubbish

A 16-page illustrated pamphlet explains the system. 

Traditionally, rubbish collection was a service all local bodies provided for ratepayers. They still do in New Plymouth, but not in Kapiti.

Kapiti – private companies, but no rates relief

Kerbside household rubbish…