Roadside waste collection services for rubbish and recycling are available to those properties that pay a waste charge as part of their rates, or to those who have pre-purchased official Auckland Council rubbish bags.

Some properties are not entitled to any council waste services because no waste charge is currently paid. If you are interested in finding out if your property is eligible for council waste services – roadside rubbish and recycling, and on-property inorganic collection services (which will incur waste charges) - you can contact Council on 09 301 0101.

Your Local Team

Local operators run the services to increase community ownership for waste diversion and support the community’s goal of zero waste to landfill by 2040, outlined in the Tīkapa Moana Hauraki Gulf Islands Waste Plan 2018.

Roadside rubbish and recycling collection services, illegal dumping services, and the on-property inorganic collection service are provided by the Waiheke branch of AIM Services. 

AIM Services are partnering with local community organisations Island Waste Collective and Clean Island to deliver an integrated waste and resource recovery system that is focused on community-led solutions that achieve the island’s goal of zero waste to landfill by 2040.

Roadside rubbish collection service

On 1 July 2020, the colour of official Auckland Council rubbish bags on Waiheke Island changed from red to orange so there is one standard bag colour across the Auckland region. Red bags can continue to be used until your stocks have run out.

Your rubbish should be placed out by 7am each collection day in either an official Auckland Council rubbish bag or an official Auckland Council rubbish wheelie bin. If your bag or wheelie bin isn’t full, you can wait until it is full before putting it out on your weekly collection day.

Use Auckland Council’s rubbish and recycling collection day search to find out when your next rubbish collection is.

A rubbish bag redemption letter will be sent out in late May each year to all properties that pay a waste charge and are currently using a yearly allocation of rubbish bags. The letter will list the times and outlet locations you can collect your bag allocation from. 

If you use up your annual allocation of rubbish bags before the end of the financial year, you can purchase additional official 60-litre Auckland Council rubbish bags from the Waiheke Island Service Centre from Monday - Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.  60L Rubbish bags currently cost $6.00 each.  Bags are also available from other retail outlets on the island (prices may vary).

The $6.00 cost for 60L rubbish bags is consistent with the pricing of a rubbish bag on other Hauraki Gulf Islands.  The cost is higher than that of rubbish bags on the Auckland isthmus because waste disposal expenses are significantly higher for the Hauraki Gulf Islands than they are on the mainland.  Auckland Council is still subsidising the total cost of waste disposal on Waiheke Island through regional rates.

If you want to switch from rubbish bags to a 120-litre rubbish wheelie bin, phone Auckland Council on 09 301 0101 to discuss your options.

If you do not pay a waste charge, household rubbish can be dropped off at the Waiheke Community Resource Recovery Park (RRP) during opening hours (charges may apply). You can also purchase Auckland Council rubbish bags from the Waiheke Island Service Centre or other retail outlets on the island and leave your rubbish on the roadside by 7am each collection day.

Roadside recycling collection service

Use the roadside recycling collection service to help us divert recyclable materials from landfill. Simply empty and rinse all plastic, glass, metal and cardboard packaging containers from the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry, as well as paper and cardboard and place them loose in your recycling bin. Once you’ve reduced, reused, and recycled all you can, the rest goes in your rubbish bin or bag.

All recyclable materials will only be collected from the roadside when they are placed in official Auckland Council recycling wheelie bins. Recyclable materials presented in any other containers, such as plastic bags, fishing crates or cardboard boxes, will not be collected.

Waiheke’s recycling collection service is a fortnightly collection, this aligns with the rest of the Auckland region. 

Use Auckland Council’s rubbish and recycling collection day search to find out when your next recycling collection is.

All households that pay a waste charge are entitled to use of a 240-litre official Auckland Council recycling wheelie bin, which can be placed on the roadside by 7am each collection day for emptying. Wheelie bins can also be placed out on the roadside the night before, ready for collection the following morning.

A recycling bin inspector will be on Waiheke Island to support the community to reduce levels of recycling contamination in the roadside wheelie bins. To find out more about what recyclables can and can't go into your kerbside recycling wheelie bin, play our rad recycling quiz to see if you are a recycling legend.

If you do not pay a waste charge, recyclable materials can be dropped off at the Waiheke Community RRP during opening hours (charges may apply).

Wheelie bins

The default service options for wheelie bins on Waiheke Island are a 120-litre rubbish bin, 240-litre recycling bin. If you would like a larger or smaller recycling bin, one is available on request, charges apply.

If either your rubbish or recycling wheelie bin gets broken or goes missing, you can request a new bin, bin repair or replacement on the Auckland Council website.

If you are unable to use wheelie bins at your property, please contact council to discuss your situation and what alternative service solutions might be available. You are able to store your wheelie bins at the end of your driveway as long as they remain inside your property boundary.

Assisted services are available to customers with age-related or disability support needs who need assistance to get their household rubbish and recycling to the roadside each week. Please call council on 09 301 0101 to discuss your support needs.

Your wheelie bin/s must be returned to within your property boundary within 24 hours of collection. If your bin is left at the roadside, it may be removed permanently.