Three eastern Waikato councils are uniting to reduce waste in their districts.

Hauraki District Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council, and Matata-Piako District Council are adopting a waste management and minimisation plan.

The original plan was written with the input of the community and waste management professionals in 2012.

In line with the Waste Management Act, it was reviewed earlier this year with community and professional input.

Overall, 28 submissions were received, one including physical samples of different types of waste that couldn't be recycled, such as polystyrene meat trays and plastic fruit and vegie bags from the supermarket. Other submissions mentioned the possibility of creating upcycling centres in Hauraki, similar to the Seagull Centre in Thames.

Hauraki District Council Mayor John Tregidga says the idea has merit, but would need to be community driven.

'If the community gets in behind this plan we can achieve anything. It's quite possible to reduce household waste disposal to almost nothing. It's all about education.”

A councillor working group has been set up to promote the plan and waste disposal education in the district.

The plan's vision is to ‘minimise waste to landfill and maximise community benefit' and its goals include actively promoting waste reduction, working together to maximise opportunities, and managing waste services in the most cost-effective manner.

Targets include a 13 per cent reduction in the total quantity of waste sent to landfills by 2020 and a five per cent reduction in kerbside waste by 2022.