Auckland Council to provide recycling bins in Hauraki Gulf; Recyclable items include aluminium cans

Auckland Council will reportedly provide waste barges in the Hauraki Gulf this summer to help boaties dispose their waste and keep Waitematā Harbour clean and beautiful.

Since summer is the time when Hauraki Gulf islands receive a maximum footfall of tourists, the council encourages day visitors to ‘pack in and pack out’ and take their waste with them when they go.

“If people are visiting one of the islands for a day, we’re asking people to take their waste home with them and dispose of it responsibly, in their kerbside waste or recycling bins,” says Waste Solutions.

The barges will be open for 24 hours a day and seven days a week, including public holidays. They will accept general household waste and recyclables. No commercial waste, inorganic/bulky items, or hazardous waste will be accepted.

Each barge will contain 240-litre wheelie bins; some assigned for general waste while others for recyclable materials.

Listed below is the guideline for using the summer barges.

·        The waste has to be sorted into rubbish and recyclable materials before they arrive at the barge

·        Items should be disposed of into appropriately marked wheelie bins – general waste or recycling

·        Rubbish bags or loose items should not be left on the deck of the barge.  Ensure all rubbish bags are placed in the general waste bins

·        Recyclable items include glass bottles and jars, aluminium cans/empty aerosols, steel and tin cans, plastics labelled 1-7, paper and cardboard and Tetra Pak cartons (milk and juice)

·        Rinse all containers and remove lids before the disposal. Containers should not be longer than 4 litres

·        A rule of thumb to follow is that you can recycle most packaging containers from your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry