Download the 2024 - 2025 kerbside recycling calendar (pdf 2.4 MB).
Download your kerbside recycling guide (pdf 3.4 MB)
Please put glass in the blue crate, put paper, plastics 1, 2 & 5, cardboard and cans in the yellow-top. All recycling must be clean and cans/tins should not be crushed.
We only collect plastics that can be recycled in New Zealand – these are the ones labelled 1, 2, and 5.
These three plastic types are the most common, representing around 85-90% of the plastics we use. Most of the containers that you use will still be recycled: soft drink and water bottles, clear plastic meat trays, plastic milk bottles, bathroom, kitchen, and laundry products, and ice-cream, butter, and takeaway containers.
Note that we do not accept lids of any type of material including plastic types 1,2, and 5.
We no longer collect and recycle plastics that are numbered 3, 4, 6 and 7.
These plastics are used in some food and product packaging like single-serve yoghurt pottles and most sour cream containers. These cannot be recycled in New Zealand and are very difficult to find an overseas market for. There is also concern that some of these plastics may not be recycled appropriately.
So please think about the plastics that you buy, reduce plastic where you can, starting checking the number and aim to buy only 1, 2 and 5 so less plastic goes to landfill.
This change came into effect on 1 July 2020.
What goes in your recycling bin (pdf 573 KB)
Examples of common recyclable plastics 1, 2 & 5 (pdf 700 KB)
Collections take place every day except for Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday.
The normal kerbside collection days and areas are:
| Day | Kerbside collection area |
|---|---|
| Monday | Golden Bay, Mārahau, Kaiteriteri, Riwaka, Brooklyn |
| Tuesday | Motueka |
| Wednesday | Moutere, Coastal Tasman, Māpua, Ruby Bay, Redwood Valley, Appleby, Northern Hope (including Clover Road and Main Road Hope and Lower Queen Street) |
| Thursday | St Arnaud, Tapawera, Tadmor, Belgrove, Wakefield, Brightwater, Southern Hope (South of Main Road Hope and Bateup Road), Upper Richmond (including Hill Street odd numbered houses and above) |
| Friday | Central Richmond (inside Gladstone Road, Champion Road, Hill Street, Bateup Road / Hart Road) |
Here's how you can check:
You can also call the Council on 03 543 8400 to check your collection day.
Please note that our district is geographically widespread and not all areas are serviced – if you would like your area to be considered for an extension of service, please contact your local Council office.
Only recycle empty, unbroken glass bottles and jars.
Glass can be clear, brown, blue or green.
If you need a second crate for glass, you can buy one from any council office or RRC for $31.35.
These are some of the common questions we get about plastic recycling.
All plastics are processed through the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Richmond.
The MRF serves Nelson and Tasman and is one of the largest in the country, processing about 5.5kg of plastic per person per year in our region. Plastics are sorted and baled and then sent to New Zealand recyclers such as Flight Plastics and used to make new plastic containers.
Q: How clean does recycling need to be – does it matter if there’s a bit of food left in containers?
A: Food waste can lead to recyclers rejecting plastics so it’s important people rinse plastic containers clean. We don’t wash them as we don’t have that equipment, so if food is left in, it gets smelly!
Q: What about lids?
A: Lids and spray tops should be removed and binned because they fall off and jam the sorting equipment.
Q: So, can any plastic be recycled?
A: If it’s a rigid plastic container and it’s got 1, 2 or 5 stamped on it, then yes, but if you can’t see a number, or it has numbers 3, 4, 6 or 7 on it – unless you can reuse it, it goes in the rubbish bin.
Q: What are soft plastics?
A: If you can scrunch a piece of plastic in your hand, then it’s soft plastic and can’t be sorted at the MRF, but you can take them to the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme bins at The Warehouse Richmond, The Warehouse Motueka, Countdown Richmond, Countdown Motueka, and New World Motueka. You can also buy pre-paid courier bags for soft plastics at NZ Post shops.
Remember your best and first choice is packaging that can be reused. But if you can’t reuse it, recycling is the next best thing
Anything labelled as compostable packaging cannot be recycled. This is because it’s made from materials that are designed to break down over time, so it cannot be processed back into new materials in the same way that plastic can.
Some retailers take back compostable packaging, so ask the store where you purchased it from. For example, Fresh Choice in Richmond takes back its compostable vacuum-packed meat packaging.
Some compostable packaging can be composted at home but be aware that this can take a long time, especially if your compost doesn’t get very hot.
If you’re not sure, put it in your landfill bin and look for alternative products in packaging that can be reused or recycled.
If you’ve got a large amount of recycling you can drop it free of charge, seven days a week at any Resource Recovery Centre.
There are times when you may need to request a recycling bin. In some circumstance these can be supplied at no extra cost:
You can also access extra recycling services at your own cost.
You can request an additional wheelie bin for an annual fee. Complete this form to request an extra wheelie bin.
Please note - you can use up to two glass recycling crates and they are available to purchase for $31.35 at Council offices in Richmond, Motueka and Tākaka.
If your property is just outside a kerbside collection area, it may be possible to access the service for an annual fee. The fee will be equivalent to the recycling rate charged to properties that usually receive the service. Your eligibility will depend on the location of your property and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Complete this form to request the service and we'll get back to you with a decision.
If you prefer to print out and complete a form, you can do so here.
One of the questions we’re most frequently asked, particularly since the changes to recycling for plastics 1, 2 and 5, is: Where does our kerbside recycling go?
Here’s a snapshot of what happens to Tasman’s kerbside recycling:
The Government is currently consulting on new strategies and legislation to improve our capacity to process more of these materials in Aotearoa.
Meanwhile, because Tasman residents do an excellent job of sorting and rinsing their recycling, if anything does have to go overseas, we are confident it will be properly recycled.
As you can see, there’s a lot more that goes into managing waste. Understanding how it works is particularly useful when thinking about how to reduce or avoid it.
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