Fresh round of recycling bin audits to start in Westport and Reefton

Buller District Council and Smart Environmental Ltd (SEL) will be partnering for another round of recycling bin audits, starting on Monday 23 February 2026.

Council and SEL first trialled the audit system in March 2022, checking residents’ recycling bins and tagging them with green, yellow, or red tags based on compliance with the district’s recycling rules. This will be the fourth time the programme has run in Buller.

During the 2024 summer, the initiative helped reduce Buller’s recycling contamination rate from 31% to 19%. The upcoming round of audits will run for 12 weeks.

This summer’s audits will focus on reminding residents about recycling correctly, including what is accepted in recycling bins, and what must go to landfill instead.

Council’s Group Manager Infrastructure Services Anthony Blom says: “Recycling contamination happens when items that do not meet the recycling criteria are found in recycling bins, for example, materials that are not accepted or materials that have not been cleaned properly. These items must be sent to landfill, along with any materials that have become contaminated during collection.”

Buller’s recycling contamination rate in the kerbside collection over the last six months was 34%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 16% - 20%.”

The audit programme will follow a similar format as previous years. Residents 'recycling bins and glass crates will be checked and tagged based on compliance:

• •                  Green tag: bin contains only acceptable items.
• •                  Yellow tag: a few non-recyclable items; bin will still be collected.
• •                  Red tag: bin contains a large number of non-recyclable items; bin will not be collected.

To encourage good recycling habits, during the first two weeks, only green and yellow tags will be placed on recycling bins. In the following weeks, red tags will also be issued and bins receiving a red tag will not be emptied.

Residents whose bins obtain a red tag will get a helpful flyer that outlines important recycling guidelines and provides simple steps to earn a green tag.

Mr Blom concludes: “The program has been positively received by residents in previous years. The contamination rate reduction not only proves that auditing recycling bins works, but also residents’ willingness to learn and recycle right. 

“Managing recycling properly and using Buller’s initiatives, like Battery Recycling, to divert waste from landfill, helps reduce Buller’s waste footprint.”

Background

In 2024, kerbside collection materials were standardised to align with the national guidelines. This saw plastic #1 meat trays, and pizza boxes (with food residue removed) added to the list of acceptable items. All plastics #1, #2 and #5, along with steel tins, aluminium cans, glass bottles and jars, and paper items larger than a standard envelope are accepted for recycling.

Further information about recycling is available on council’s website. 

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:
Community Engagement Team  
Buller District Council
Media.Enquiries@bdc.govt.nz 

Disclaimer

The information in this media release was correct at time of publication. Changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information.