What is green waste?
Green waste is any organic material from your garden that can be composted, like grass clippings, leaves, weeds, and small branches. Food scraps are also organic, but should be handled separately. Some tough plants and large stumps need special disposal, so not everything from the garden goes in the green waste bin.
Easy ways to get rid of green waste in Auckland
If you have a pile of green waste, there are several options for responsible disposal. Garden waste includes:
- Twigs and leaves after a big trim
- Weeds from a garden clean-up
- Long grass clippings from mowing
For small amounts of food scraps, composting is a great way to deal with green waste. In fact, organic waste schemes are essential because food waste makes up a large portion of landfill waste and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. If you have space, you can create your own compost pile or use a worm farm to turn scraps into garden gold.
If composting isn’t for you, most Aucklanders now have food scraps bins. These bins send your waste to the Ecogas Reporoa Organics Processing Facility to be turned into renewable energy and fertiliser.
But when you’re dealing with a big garden clean-up, all those clippings, weeds, and branches can be a hassle to lug around. That’s where hiring a skip comes in handy.
What you can and cannot put in a green waste bin
It’s important to know what can and can’t go in your green waste bin. Please leave out:
- Branches over 100mm thick
- Large tree stumps
- Bamboo, yucca, agapanthus, palm, and cabbage tree leaves
These tough or fibrous plants can clog or break our machinery, so they need special disposal. For more info, check our green waste guide.
Rocks, bricks, and topsoil from your garden are classed as hard fill, not green waste. If you need to dispose of these, check the weight limit of your bin or bag before booking.
Using Pink Bins and Pink Bags for green waste
Wherever you are in Auckland, getting rid of green waste is easy with a Pink Bin or Pink Bag. If you’ve only got green waste, let us know when you order, and we may be able to offer a discounted rate.
If any general or hard fill rubbish ends up in your green waste only bin or bag, we’ll need to charge the general rubbish rate. This is important because a significant portion of landfill waste consists of readily recyclable materials that could be diverted if sorted correctly. If you’re unsure what’s allowed, just ask us before you book.
We offer a wait-while-you-load service for Pink Bins if you don’t have space for a skip. Standard time is 30 minutes, but let us know if you need longer.
What happens to your green waste after we pick it up
Your green waste doesn’t just go to the tip. We take it to our recycling plant in Manukau, where it’s separated from general rubbish and processed into compost and other useful materials. This helps reduce landfill and gives your waste a second life, contributing to the 38 per cent of waste Aotearoa recycles, which is about average among OECD countries.
Frequently asked questions about green waste in Auckland
What are some common examples of green waste in Auckland?
Green waste includes lawn clippings, leaves, weeds, hedge trimmings, and small branches. If it grows in your garden and can be composted, it counts as green waste.
What should I not put in a green waste bin or Pink Bin?
Don’t put large tree stumps, thick branches, soil, rocks, concrete, or fibrous plants like bamboo, flax, or palm fronds in your green waste bin. These need special disposal and can damage our equipment.
Are food scraps considered green waste, and where should I put them?
Food scraps are organic but shouldn’t go in your green waste skip bin. Use your home compost or council food scraps bin instead.
How long can I keep a Pink Bin or Pink Bag for green waste?
Our standard hire is for up to 7 days, but we’re flexible. If you need your bin for a bit longer to get the job done, just let us know when you book, and we’ll get it sorted for you.