Why isn't Tauranga collecting 3-7 plastics? Teeny tiny Taupo with its population of 22,000 (as opposed to our 121,000) estimates they will save 3 million plastic containers from landfill. Do you know the more you put in your recycle bin the less you spend on rubbish? Recycling is money saved.
Taupo increased recycling from roughly 35% of residential homes to 95% when they transparently introduced recycle bins on rate collection. This was one increase to rates that financially assisted residents. Surprised? Plastics NZ estimate plastics in landfill averages out at 8% by weight, but by volume it becomes a whopping 20% of landfill. And Tauranga and WBOP estimate their plastics as 11% of weight, so I wonder what the volume then becomes? Little old Dunedin Council has just had their first year recycling plastics 3-7 and it is an unmitigated success. Firstly residents are saving money. And secondly, even with Dunedin's extra haulage costs (glass to Auckland, getting baled plastics to a port) the Council broke even, and even made a bit of money.
Tauranga City Council has a policy of attempting to reduce waste by 20kg per head per year. Similar to other councils, you might say. But remember these other councils have already got 95% of homes with a recycle bin, AND they are also picking up plastics BEFORE they commit to reducing by 20kg a year. Tauranga and Western Bay are in the dark ages and residents are spending more money on rubbish than they should.

Jodie Bruning, Whakamarama.