As local recycling efforts continue to improve, understanding what can and cannot go into your kerbside bin remains crucial.

Many residents are still making common recycling mistakes, which can hinder the process and reduce efficiency.

This guide outlines essential recycling rules to help you recycle correctly.

Recycling correctly involves knowing what items are accepted and preparing them properly.

Grocery packaging containers made of plastic, glass, metal, and cardboard can be recycled, but they must be empty, clean, and placed loosely in the bin.

Paper and cardboard should be flattened.

Soft plastics, however, are not suitable for kerbside recycling and should be taken to collection points at participating retailers.

Accepted items

Plastic bottles numbered 1, 2, and 5:

• Number 1 (PET): Commonly used for water and soft drink bottles.
• Number 2 (HDPE): Found in milk, detergent, and shampoo bottles.
• Number 5 (PP): Used for some pharmaceutical, cosmetic, sauce, and refillable bottles.

Before recycling, check the number on the bottle, usually found at the bottom. Remove the lids, rinse out any residue, and if instructed, remove labels and place them in the rubbish.

Items to avoid

Certain items should not be placed in your kerbside recycling bin:

• Bottles from the garage or garden shed containing chemicals like pesticides or motor oil.
• Bottles with no number or numbered 3, 4, 6, or 7.
• Bottles larger than four litres.
• Compostable and biodegradable bottles.
• Lids, including spray tops and pumps.

These items are excluded for several reasons.

Bottles with hazardous chemicals pose health and safety risks.

Plastics numbered 3, 4, 6, and 7 are less common and have limited recycling markets.

Larger bottles cannot fit through sorting machines, and compostable bottles are designed to decompose rather than be recycled.

Lids are challenging to sort due to their small size and mixed material composition.

Understanding the numbers

Different plastics serve various purposes. Knowing the numbers can help you recycle more effectively:

• Number 1 (PET): Clear plastic used for soft drinks and water bottles.
• Number 2 (HDPE): Used in milk and detergent bottles.
• Number 4 (LDPE): Found in squeezable bottles like mustard, with limited recycling markets.
• Number 5 (PP): Used in some pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and refillable bottles.

Plastics numbered 3, 6, and 7 are less common in bottle form and are generally not recycled through kerbside programs.

The recycling process

Recycled plastic bottles are turned into various new products, including food packaging, wheelie bins, compost bins, and fibre for clothing.

The recycling process involves sorting bottles by type, compressing them into bales, and sending them to processing plants.

There, they are cleaned, shredded into flakes, and melted into new items.

New Zealand imports over 500,000 tonnes of raw plastic annually, with about 55,000 tonnes of plastic waste collected for recycling from households and businesses each year.

The country's capacity to recycle domestically is growing, aiming to increase the amount processed within New Zealand.

By following these guidelines, residents can contribute to more efficient recycling processes and help New Zealand move towards a more sustainable future.