Central residents will get a new food scraps and green waste bin soon, and it will be collected weekly from early July.

The red bin will be reduced in size from 240L to 140L, a latch will be fitted to the yellow bin to keep it closed on windy days, and the blue bin will move to a four weekly collection pattern. 

Central Otago District Council (CODC) has distributed a flyer to households which details the things that can go into the new green bin: food waste, meat and small bones, greenwaste, hair and animal fur, animal droppings, and newspaper. 

Part of CODC flyer showing the items that can go into the new green bin, to be collected weekly from July 3 

Waste minimisation officer Abi Hawkins said she was excited by the change but acknowledged it would take some getting used to.

“Change can be uncomfortable for a while and we’re hoping for most people it will settle down quite quickly and everyone will give it a go.

“It’s a great move in terms of the environmental benefits… and it follows the government's national waste strategy.”

Abi said she doesn't want people to stop composting if that was working well for them.

“Certain things cannot go in compost [or worm farm] but they can go in the green bin such as leftovers wrapped in newspaper, meat bones, onion skins and citrus.”

In July a smartphone app will be available, an info pack and fridge magnet will go to each household, and residents can complete an online form to get a free kitchen caddy for their food scraps.

The kitchen caddies, funded by the Ministry for the Environment and CODC waste minimisation funding (from the government), will be available from council service centres around the time the new bin service starts.

Abi said past CODC bin surveys have shown that half of the red bins contents by weight is food scraps and green waste.

“One quarter is food scraps and one quarter is green waste. If people use the green bin to its full potential, the [smaller] red bin should be okay.”

CODC’s contractor Envirowaste is still working on the logistics of how the new bins will be delivered.

CODC said on red bin collection week prior to July they expect the red lid will be swapped for a green lid (this will become your bin for food scraps and green waste).

A new 140L red bin (with an address sticker on it) will be delivered and a bin latch will be fastened to the lid of your yellow bin at the same time.

The district's green waste will go by truck to the Redruth composting facility in Timaru as there is not an organics processing facility available in Central Otago. 

Millers Flat residents will have the same service as the rest of the district as the Millers Flat green waste landfill closes on June 30.

More frequently asked questions about the new bin collection go to the Council button on The Central App and click on Stay Informed.

Residents can call CODC on 03 440 0056 if they have questions. 

Interview with Lauren Hunter, CODC Solid Waste Team Leader, discusses Central Otago's recycling future - click below