Confused about the new bins? So were we...

Despite the comms around the new Hutt City Council bins, The Eastbourne Herald asked HCC to clarify some of our queries about them. Below are the answers we received - we hope you find them useful:

Q: Why are some houses getting their bins before others. This is not street-wide, it’s random addresses?

A: Bins are being delivered according to sets of combinations of bins per street (eg: all people in one suburb who have opted for the 120 litre bin will receive them at the same time). This is the most productive way to stack a truck and, as a result, the trucks deliver more bins. This method may cause a slight delay in terms of every household in a suburb receiving their bins at the same time. There may also be some multi-unit developments that will get their bins at a later date. We are asking for patience and understanding during the rollout. It’s a huge logistical exercise and may not be perfect all of the time.

Q: What do people do with their old bins?

A: If residents have bins with a private waste provider they should cancel those contracts as at 30 June 2021 and make arrangements with that provider to collect their bins. Council will arrange for the old green crate used for recycling to be picked up in early July if residents no longer want them for another use.

Q:Why are some people getting blue bins for glass and some not?

A: All properties should receive a blue crate. They are being placed in the larger 240 litre recycling bins (the ones with yellow lids) for ease of delivery, but where a resident has asked for a smaller recycling bin, the blue crate for glass is placed beside the bins as it won't fit inside the smaller bin. Please contact Council if you do not receive a blue crate with the rest of your new bins.

Q:We can’t recycle soft plastics or lids - where do we put these and what happens to them?

A: Please put soft plastics and lids into the rubbish bin after which they will be taken to the landfill. Alternatively, some supermarkets in Lower Hutt have soft plastics recycling bins. If you use this service, please make sure all packaging is clean, dry and empty. For further details, visit: www.recycling.kiwi.nz

Q:How much is this scheme costing the council, and how much will it generate via the payment through rates?

A: The new kerbside rubbish and recycling services will cost around $11M per annum, the cost of which will be met through the targeted rate.

Q:If you are renting, who pays for your bins?

A: The new services are funded by a targeted rate. As such, the property owner/ landlord pays for the service.

Q:In some narrow streets (such as Marine Drive around Windy Point) the footpath will now be cluttered with bins on more than one day. This could be a hazard - has the council thought about that?

A: The bins will be collected in Eastbourne on a Monday. We are asking that residents please be mindful of where they are placed to minimise risk to others. Residents may want to liaise with their neighbours to come up with a plan to ensure bins are placed in the safest way possible.

Q:It’s a more complicated system in terms of the different days for different bins. Do you expect there to be hiccups for a while?

A: The new rubbish and recycling services will be on the same day each week. The only thing that changes is that the recycling will alternate between glass (blue crate) one week and other recycling (the bin with the yellow lid) the next. An information booklet, that is attached to the new red rubbish bin, features a calendar showing the collection days. You can tear off the calendar and keep it somewhere handy. Alternatively, the dates will be available on the Council website. =