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Rotorua Lakes Council will close midday Friday 20 Dec 2024 and reopen Monday 6 Jan 2025. Building services & LIMs are on hold until 10 Jan 2025. Visit our Property & Building section for more information.

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Rubbish Collection Services

Public holiday collections

There is no kerbside collection on Good Friday and Christmas Day. All other public holidays are normal collection days.

Christmas Day 2024 – 25 December

As Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year, some kerbside collections are delayed by one day – just for the one week.

  • Wednesday 25 December will move to Thursday 26
  • Thursday 26 December will move to Friday 27 and
  • Friday 27 December will be collected on Saturday 28 December.

Kerbside collections will return to normal the following week. This service is not affected by New Years statutory holidays.

Find your bin collection day

Use our interactive map to find your address's next kerbside rubbish collection dates.

Find my next collection

You can also check out these reference resources to help you remember.

Download this year's Rubbish and Recycling Calendar - (PDF, 245KB)

Pop into Rotorua Lakes Council to collect as a free handy fridge magnet!

Download a static rubbish collection map - (PDF, 4.5MB)

How to use the wheelie bin service

Most households in Rotorua will have three bins available: a red lid bin, a yellow lid bin and a blue crate.

Red lid bin Yellow lid bin Blue crate
Household rubbish Mixed recycling
(paper, cardboard, tins, cans and plastics) 		Glass recycling
(jars and bottles)
Collected weekly Collected fortnightly Collected fortnightly

Kerbside collections are serviced by a contractor, Smart Environmental.

Please ensure your bin lids can close, and your crate is not overfull, or these will not be collected due to the hazard they create to collection staff and trucks. Excess rubbish or recycling sitting outside of your bins will not be collected at kerbside.

Everything you need to know about our kerbside service can be found in our downloadable booklet.

You can also pick up a print copy at Council reception. Inside the booklet:

  • What to do with extra rubbish and recycling
  • What can and can't go in your rubbish and recycling bins
  • What happens after your rubbish is collected
  • Information on transfer stations.

What goes into each bin

Most general waste items can go into the red lid bin. These items are able to be recycled through our kerbside collections:

  • Plastic bottles, trays and containers numbered 1, 2 and 5
  • Paper and cardboard (including pizza boxes)
  • Food and drink tins and cans
  • Glass bottles and jars (into the blue crate).

All items need to be empty, washed and lids removed. No other items can be placed in the recycling bins.

Waste Directory: what can I do with other items? - (PDF, 961KB)

When to put your bin out

You can put your bin on the kerbside the night before collection if you wish.

Residential areas:
  • Your wheelie bin(s) must be on the kerbside by 7:30am on your collection day. This is the earliest time kerbside collection starts in residential areas.
CBD and businesses:
  • If you own a business or live in the CBD, your bin(s) need to be on the kerbside by 5am on your collection day.

Please note that your bin may not be collected at the same time every week because collection routes can sometimes change. Please contact Council’s Customer Solutions team on 07 348 4199 if your bin has not been collected by the end of the day.

How to place your bins

For a smoother rubbish collection:

  • Place bins and crates as close to the kerb as possible, about half a metre apart from each other
  • Bins should face the road, away from parked cards
  • Leave room for pedestrians to use the footpath, and do not put your bin in driveways or on the road.

Other helpful tips

Getting help with your bins

Assisted collections

Assisted collection is available for residents who have trouble putting out the wheelie bins each week. To apply or find out more information, call Council's Customer Solutions team on 07 348 4199.

Application form for assisted collection - (PDF 270KB)

Report a problem

If you are having problems with your bin collection, you may find it helpful to read common issues below.

You can also report a problem via our online form below or call Council's Customer Solutions team on 07 348 4199.

Report a problem with your bins

Your bin may not be collected at the same time every week because collection routes can sometimes change. If your bin has not been collected by the end of the day, it may be because:

  • Bins were blocked and it was not safe to retrieve them
  • Bins were not put out on time (before 7.30am)
  • Bins were over-filled or too heavy
  • Bins contained inappropriate materials

Recycling bins will not be collected if they contain too many non-recyclable items. Please do not mix rubbish and recycling. Collection of contaminated bins can lead to contamination of the truck load.

Recycling services will stop over a period of time at homes that receive continuous warnings.

If your bin was not emptied for one of the reasons above, a sticker explaining why may be placed on your bin. You will need to remedy the issue and put your bin out for the next collection day.

Kerbside collection trucks use GPS and time-stamped video to record each collection route. If you are still not sure why your bin was not collected, contact our Customer Solutions team and they will be able to advise you.

If your bin goes missing, check that a neighbour has not taken it by mistake. Bins have address labels on the side so you can check if someone has accidentally taken your bin. They also have wireless radio frequency identification labels, so if a bin is at a different property, it can sometimes be collected and returned to its rightful home address.

Contact Council if you are still unable to find your bin and we will organise a replacement at no cost.

If your bin is damaged, email Council on info@rotorualc.nz with the following details:

  • A photograph of your damaged bin
  • Your name and contact number
  • Street address for your replacement bin

Your bin will be assessed by the collection team, and a replacement organised if needed. There will be no cost for a replacement bin. Please note that your bin will not necessarily be replaced if the damage is minor, and the bin remains functional.

All bin lids must close properly to be collected from your kerbside.

If you find that you have more household rubbish or recycling than the average Rotorua household, you can upgrade the size of your bin or get more bins to use for the kerbside service. Additional and upgraded bins are managed by Council's waste contractor Smart Environmental, and the cost of this is not included in Council's waste rate.

For more information, you can phone Smart Environmental on 07 346 8327 or email ro@smartenvironmental.co.nz. You can also find out more about Smart Environmental at www.smartrotorua.com.

Remember that additional recycling can be taken to the recycling centre or rural transfer stations for free.

What will it cost to upgrade the bins for residential properties?

Rubbish bin options (red lid)

Fee per annum

From 1 October 2024

Upgrade 140 litre bin to 240 litre bin

$152.61 (GST incl)

$167.70 (GST incl)

Additional 140 litre bin

$329.21 (GST incl)

$361.77 (GST incl)

Additional 240 litre bin

$399.06 (GST incl)

$438.53 (GST incl)
Recycling bin options (yellow lid)
Additional 240 litre bin $335.72 (GST incl) $364.91 (GST incl)
Glass recycling options (blue crate)

Additional 40 litre crate (maximum 3 per household) $48.83 (GST incl) $48.83 (GST incl)

Smaller sized rubbish or recycling wheelie bins are not available. However, you do not need to put your bins out every week for collection.

Bins and crates are allocated to their specific property and should not be removed, even if the property is sold or the home is re-tenanted.

Bins are the property of the Council and the collections contractor. Homeowners and tenants have a responsibility to look after the bins allocated to their property.

Wheelie bins are normally light and easy to manoeuvre. Residents are provided with recycling bins larger than the rubbish bins, because recycled materials tend to be lighter but take up more space.

Feedback from across the country shows that most people cope with using their bins. If you are having trouble, you could house your bins in a place closer to the roadside, or you could make or buy a tow bar hitch for about $15.

Our collection contractor has a range of different trucks within their fleet. Some collect glass only; some collect only recycling or refuse. Some can collect two different material types, and some can collect them all! Seeing your rubbish and recycling being collected by the same truck does not mean your recyclables are going to landfill. The driver controls which compartment the material is moved into once the bin has emptied.

Trucks which collect contents from all three bins are most commonly used in rural areas where this is more efficient than sending multiple trucks, but sometimes they will end up on urban routes too.

If you own or manage a holiday home in Rotorua, you can use these printable factsheets to place in your accommodation to help guests manage their waste.

For areas using wheelie bins:

For areas using rubbish bags:

Learn more about recycling and rubbish services

Rotorua Lakes Council can provide presentations or workshops to support groups and individuals in understanding our kerbside collection services and recycling processes. If you would like to find out more, please get in touch with recycling@rotorualc.nz.

Read more background information that we use to create our waste policies and services:

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