Frequently Asked Questions

Recycling in Raglan

I’m new to Raglan, what bins should I have for recycling and rubbish?

Welcome to Raglan! Each household should have:

  • 2 recycling crates, one for glass, one for plastics, tins and aluminium cans.
  • 1 green bin for bagged food scraps, with lid and handle.
  • 1 smaller grey kitchen cady to line with a bag and collect food scraps. Also, a pack of corn starch compostable bags.
  • Place cardboard (has corrugated waves inside) and paper (no waves, like printing paper and also cereal boxes and egg cartons) into a cardboard box, flatten underneath a crate, or tied together with string.
  • Rubbish goes into blue 60 litre or green 30 litre prepaid bags, available from supermarkets, Kaahu’s Nest, and petrol stations in Raglan.

What day is my recycling collection?

We’ve made it easy; search your collection day using our Kerbside Collection Map here.

My kerbside recycling was missed! Why?

Usually it’s because of contamination, items that can’t be recycled (like coffee cups, Tetra Paks, or containers dirty with food). Check the recycling info here or contact our office on (07) 825 6509 so we can collect your recycling next week.

The truck came and only one of my crates has been collected. Why?

We run three trucks that collect different materials to get around town efficiently, one for rubbish, one for glass and cardboard etc. All recycling trucks will make it to your house, one just might be a little earlier than the others. If your bin was missed, a note will be left explaining why and what to change so we can collect your recycling next week.

I live rurally in Te Uku or Te Mata, what do I do with my rubbish and recycling?

Recycling depots at Te Uku and Te Mata are open 24/7. We empty them 5 days per week.

  • Te Uku – Located at the back of the Te Uku Store, Okete Road end – 3440 SH23.
  • Te Mata – Located at the intersection of Te Hutewai Rd -1293 Te Hutewai Road.

Rubbish goes into prepaid bags and can be dropped in the skip at Te Uku depot or the collection points at rural road ends. Te Mata recycling depot is for recycling only and can’t accept rubbish bags. On Mondays there’s a rural collection for prepaid bags on specific rural roads listed here.

My recycling bin has gone missing, can I get another one?

Yes, replacement recycling crates and food scrap bins are available from the Council Library Office at 7 Bow Street. It is the landowner’s responsibility to supply and replace recycling bins for the property. Write your street address on your bin so it can be returned if it blows away!

Kerbside Food Scrap Collection

Does my house get the food scrap collection?

All houses in the Raglan urban area up to Greenslade Road and out to Whale Bay (the same houses that get kerbside recycling collection). If you move house, please leave all the bins with the property.

Where can I get more compostable bags?

You will find a pink request slip as you get to the end of your bag pack. Put the pink slip sticking out of your kerbside food scrap bin like a tongue and close the lid to hold in place on your next collection day. You can also handwrite a note or collect a pack from Kaahus Nest. Note: The Council Library Office doesn’t supply compostable bags.

My bin is broken, where do I get a new one?

Replacement bins and lids are available from the Council Library Office (7 Bow Street).

Can compostable packaging go in my food bin?

No. Compostable packaging isn’t accepted, because there’s no certification to prove it is 100% organic. Packaging often contains chemicals (like PFAS) that we don’t want in our soils.

Can I opt out of the food scrap service?

No. Households can’t opt out. The service complements home composting and takes items that are hard to break down at home and that can attract rodents (meat, bones, dairy, citrus). You can use it as much or as little as you like, but please keep the bins at your house for future residents use as bins belong to the property, not the resident.

Organics: Green Waste and Compost

I have lots of weeds and garden waste — what do I do?

Bring it up to the Main Yard at Xtreme Zero Waste (186 Te Hutewai Road, Raglan, 3296) for staff to measure, then pay in Kaahus Nest shop and drop it at the Organics Yard on the way out.

When can I drop off green waste?

Opening hours:

  • Monday – Friday: 12.30pm – 5pm
  • Saturday –Sunday: 10am – 5pm

Why do I have to pay for dropping off garden waste?

Processing Garden Waste into compost takes time, skill, and machinery. The fee helps cover mulching, mixing with food scraps, and weekly turning for 12 weeks to create quality compost.

Do you pickup green waste?

Yes join our Garden Waste Collection Service here for fortnightly wheelie bin pickup.

How can I buy compost?

  • Bagged compost is sold at Kaahu’s Nest, just ask the Front Yard team in hi-vis.
  • Bulk compost (by the scoop) is available for trailer pick-up or delivery . More details on products and ordering here.

Resource Recovery and Recycling Centre

Why don’t you open in the mornings?

Mornings are busy with large trucks and diggers, recycling processing, landfill bins being moved, tours, and maintenance happening across the site and blocking access. Opening later keeps the site safe and ready so no one gets squished!

Why does landfill cost so much?

We don’t make money from landfill. The fees you pay simply cover the cost of transporting rubbish and the gate charges at the landfill, which we don’t set the price of.

In Hamilton, landfill can look cheaper because large overseas-owned companies own both the transfer stations (where you drop rubbish) and the landfills (where it’s buried). They set the prices and usually focus on moving large amounts of rubbish cheaply, rather than reducing, reusing, or recycling like us here in Raglan.

Every load of rubbish going to landfill also includes a government levy. This fee goes back to councils to fund waste reduction projects, things like school compost bins and community repair workshops.

Need help reducing waste at home? Ask us how or check our online course here.

Can I recycle at Xtreme Zero Waste recycle centre?

Yes! Drive to the front yard and staff will direct you to the recycling bay. Please:

  • Wash and make sure all recycling is clean.
  • Remove all lids. There are big wheelie bins for both plastic and metal lids.
  • Flatten large cardboard boxes (they must come to the recycle centre, as the kerbside truck only has room for a crate’s worth per house).

What’s the difference between the cardboard and paper bins?

  • Cardboard is a thicker multi-layered material with visible corrugated waves sandwiched between two thin layers.
  • Paper is a thin, single-layered material like envelopes and wrapping, and also cereal boxes and egg cartons.

Cardboard and paper get recycled separately, so we love help separating them into the different bins at Xtreme Zero Waste.

Kaahu's Nest Reuse Shop

What don’t you accept as donations?

  • Underpants (but bras and togs are accepted)
  • Shein clothing
  • Stained or ripped clothing and linens
  • Clothing with broken zippers
  • VHS Video Tapes
  • Single use cutlery
  • Dirty or broken items
  • Sharp knives
  • Expired safety items e.g. car seats and helmet.

How to dispose and recycle electronics?

Bring to Xtreme Zero Waste, there’s a testing fee for electrical items. Many donated electronics turn out faulty, and we must cover the costs to separate the device for electrial waste recycling.

Printer and ink cartridges can be recycled for free too. Bring to shop drop off.

What is the cost for a vacuum to be dropped off?

See our price list here. 

How to I dispose of or recycle whiteware and other appliances?

We accept whiteware like fridges, ovens, dryers and washing machines for recycling. There’s a testing fee for electrical items and degassing, see costs here.

How to dispose of or recycle batteries?

Batteries are free to drop off at Xtreme Zero Waste, including battery powered devices like phones, vapes and laptop batteries. Lead acid batteries like car and motorbike batteries are also free. Deep-cycle solar batteries have a drop off cost. Bring to 186 Te Hutewai Road Raglan in open hours.

What does it cost for dropping off or recycling tyres?

Used, worn and old tyres are free to drop off to Xtreme Zero Waste. Up to 5 tyres per person is free to drop off. Tyres must be whole, clean (not coated in mud) and de-rimmed for free drop off.

What do I do with clean fill and rubble?

We do not accept clean fill like dirt, cement, concrete, gravel, brick, topsoil, sand, and rubble. Clean fill makes our landfill bins too heavy for transporting, so best to take to a quarry or contact another skip bin provider.

What do I do with old or used engine oil?

Bring engine oil to Yard staff in hi vis who will check your product and pour the oil for you into our drum. Households can drop off up to 20 liters for free.

How is it best to dispose of hazardous chemicals?

It is free to bring up to 20 liters of hazardous chemicals to Xtreme Zero Waste. This includes:

  • Household & garden chemicals
  • Solvents
  • Fireworks, flares, and ammo
  • Class 3 Flammable Liquids
  • Class 5.1 Oxidising Substances e.g. bleach, pool chemicals, concrete cleaners, nitrates, fertilisers, potassium permanganate
  • Class 5.2 Organic Peroxide
  • Class 8 Alkalis e.g. ammonia, toilet cleaner, dishwasher powder
  • Class 8 Corrosives
  • Class 9 Toxic to environment
  • Smoke alarms
  • Batteries
  • Camping gas cannisters.

What hazardous chemicals does Xtreme not accept?

  • Containers over 20L or Commercial hazardous waste– take to Lincoln St Transfer Station in Hamilton
  • School lab chemicals
  • Medical waste(take to Raglan Pharmacy).
  • Radioactive materials
  • Explosive chemicals e.g. Nitrocellulose, Picric Acid, and Ammonium Nitrate.
  • Class 6 chemicals e.g. cyanides, lead compounds, phenol, some pesticides & agrichemicals, arsenic, and chloroform (these require an approved handler).
  • Asbestos
  • Persistent Organic Pollutants(PCBs) e.g. DDT (banned in NZ), NCA.

What do I do with paint?

  • If the paint can be used then we can accept as donation for the DIY Den.
  • Resene products can often be returned to the PaintWise scheme at selected Resene stores.
  • Lead based and marine grade anti-fouling can be dropped to Xtreme Zero waste.
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