In a few months’ time, several pavements around the Hibiscus Coast will be littered with small green food scrap bins.

The Auckland Council rolled out the food scrap bins in March, and Coasties will start receiving their bins in October this year. 

The council aims to reduce the food being dumped on landfill sites by 40,000 tonnes a year - but, the service comes at a cost to the ratepayers! 

Regardless of whether you use the bin service or not, you will have to pay the annual fee of $71.28 per property. 

The charge covers the cost of the weekly collection service and will be included in your property rates. 

Along with the 23-litre green bin, the council will also give residents a handy kitchen caddy and a starter pack of compostable bin liners. 

The pink compostable bin liners can be bought from council service centres, libraries, selected supermarkets, dairies and convenience stores. 

The price will vary between the different retailers, but the recommended retail price is $2.80 for a pack of 20 liners.

There is no bin tag required for the food scrap bins, even in the areas where bin tags are needed for the usual weekly rubbish bins.

“Both of these services contribute to the public good, providing a benefit to the city by reducing the amount of waste going to landfills,” said a spokesperson at the council. 

“We estimate the food scraps collection service will divert 40,000 tonnes of waste per year, allowing this material to be processed in a way that helps our environment.”

The contents of the food scrap bins will go to a processing plant in the central North Island, where they will be converted into renewable energy and liquid fertiliser. 

The food scrap service will not be available in rural areas, the Hauraki Gulf islands or the city centre. 

The weekly service is a simple way for households to reduce waste in landfills, lower greenhouse gas emissions and help the environment.