Households can now sign up for Tauranga City Council's new kerbside garden waste collections that will begin in July.

Households wanting to sign up for the garden waste collections are able to choose between 4-weekly collections at a cost $60 for the 2021/22 rates year, or fortnightly collections at $95, with the cost of each collection being less than $5.

Any household that signs up for the optional service before May 15 will receive the service from July this year, and the cost of the service will be added to their property rates invoice.

This is on top of the new rates charge of $230 to cover the cost of the new council rubbish, recycling and food scraps collections for all residential properties that also begins on July 1 this year.

The optional garden waste kerbside collections are a 240L wheelie bin, available for residential households only, and are collected on each household's existing collection day.

Acting manager of the sustainability and waste team Sam Fellows says 'the new garden waste service is convenient and great value and council encourages households that don't separate their garden waste from their household rubbish to consider using the service.

She says doing so will mean people are actively helping the city reduce the amount of household waste sent to landfill.

'Those who currently take their garden waste to the transfer stations may also benefit from the service, if it allows them to make fewer trips to the transfer station overall, saving them time and money on petrol.”

Council expects the full suite of council-led kerbside collections to halve the amount of waste the average household sends to landfill by 2028. This is based on household waste levels seen in other areas in New Zealand with a similar service.

Nearly 70 per cent of Tauranga's household waste that ends up in landfill could be recycled or composted instead, with 16 per cent being garden waste. The garden waste collected will be processed locally into compost and sold to agricultural, horticultural and landscape industries along with other markets throughout New Zealand.

Any household who would like the optional garden waste collections can sign up now at www.tauranga.govt.nz/gardenwaste or by calling 07 577 7000.

Only ratepayers can sign up for the service on behalf of a household because of the additional charge added to property rates, and they will need their customer number and property valuation number to do so.

Tenants who would like to have the garden waste service at their household can ask their landlord or property manager to arrange the service for them.

Households in retirement villages and apartment complexes who are interested in the new garden waste kerbside collections should ask their village manager or body corporate representative to contact the council to set these up on their behalf.

Households who would like the service but will require assistance taking their bins to and from the kerbside for collection due to a physical disability or ailment, will be able to apply for the free assisted service closer to the start of the service in July.

If a household signs up for the new optional garden waste collection before 28 February, the garden waste bin will be delivered at the same time as the new rubbish, recycling and food scraps bins are delivered.

Information sessions

Council will be holding information sessions for those who want to learn more about the kerbside waste collection. The sessions are:

• Greerton Hall on February 15 from 3pm to 6pm
• Bethlehem Hall on February 16 from 3pm to 6pm
• Welcome Bay Hall on February 17 from 3pm to 6pm
• The Little Big Markets in Papamoa on February 20 from 9am to 2pm
• Club Mount Maunganui on February 22 from 3pm to 7pm
• Arataki Community Centre on February 23 from 3pm to 6pm
• Otumoetai Golf Club on February from 25 3pm to 6pm
• Papamoa Community Hall on March 2 from 3pm to 7pm

The Little Big Markets Mount Maunganui on March 6 from 9am to 2pm