It’s a jungle out there! Or, at least, it might be, if you’ve got lots of green waste to dispose of!
Some plants thrive on neglect, and it always seems to be the ones that you don’t want to take over that enjoy being left to their own devices. With all this rain lately, and now some warm weather, the weeds in your garden are probably going wild! But that’s okay. The end of summer is a great time to get your garden in shape, before the weather cools off and you’d rather spend your free time indoors with a hot drink and some Netflix.
We’ve got some tips for you, if you’re taking on the task of cleaning up your garden but, once you’ve got your garden looking spiffy, and a giant pile of foliage in the corner, you might be wondering what the best way to dispose of green waste in Auckland is?
Where To Dump Green Waste in Auckland?
If you’re in Auckland, you probably don’t have a regularly collected curbside green waste bin, but you’ve still got plenty of options to dispose of your green waste responsibly! There are a number of transfer stations and community bins across the city that accept green waste, there are companies around Auckland that offer curbside on-demand green waste pick-up services, and, of course, we can help you out too!
Before we get into that, let’s talk about why it’s important to dispose of your green waste in Auckland with care, no matter where you live. Did you know that green waste releases methane when it’s dumped in the landfill, and that contributes to greenhouse gases and climate change? By separating our green waste from general refuse, we can ensure it’s being repurposed, either into compost, or mulch. This might not seem like a big deal, but if we all avoid sending our green waste to landfills, it could make a big difference for our environment!
It’s great if we can all keep our green waste out of the rubbish, but not all organic matter can be treated the same, so let’s go over the different types of green waste, and where it’s best to send each type.
The dos
When it comes to being responsible when disposing of green waste in Auckland, we have heaps of options!
For your food scraps, lawn clippings, and foliage, if you have the space, you might like to give composting a go! It’s easier than you think, and compost is perfect for enriching your soil and supporting healthy plant growth. Making your own compost can be incredibly satisfying, and it’ll mean you can skip out on buying commercially made compost too, so you’ll know exactly what’s gone into your garden.
If composting isn’t for you, another option could be to start a worm farm! Worm farms are great for leftover food scraps, and you’ll be able to see your little worm buddies working hard to help you do your bit for the environment.
Whether you’ve been weeding your garden, or you’ve done some serious remodelling of your outside space, you might have too much green waste to get rid of it all in one fell swoop. If you don’t have the space, time, or desire to use your green waste at home, no worries! You could take your green waste to a waste transfer station, book a collection, or if you’ve got a large amount of green waste, and those options aren’t terribly practical – give Pink Bins a call, or send us a message, and we’ll talk you through our Pink Bins, and Pink Bag options, to work out which is best for you.
The don’ts
Foliage and food waste break down quickly and easily in compost or worm farms, but what about other kinds of green waste?
Woody branches, fibrous trees, rocks and hard-to-kill weeds are difficult to deal with at home, but commercial waste management companies can sort them out for you! Each company may have different requirements for the green waste they collect, here are ours:
- Separate fibrous plants. Cabbage trees, flaxes, bamboo, agapanthus and palm fronds can’t be composted or mulched with other green waste. Don’t worry! We can still take them off your hands, but it’ll have to be in a general or mixed rubbish bin or bag, not green waste.
- No branches larger than 100mm. Anything over this can’t be mulched by our chippers so, just like fibrous plants, it’ll have to be sent to general refuse. Any big branches or trees could be worth saving for firewood. If you don’t have a fire yourself, or a brazier to put that wood to good use, there’s probably someone you know, or someone in your neighbourhood, who’d appreciate a bit of extra wood for the colder months. If you are going to use any wood for a brazier, just remember to let it dry out first, and follow guidance from our friends at Fire and Emergency, no matter where in Auckland you live.
- No rocks, stones or clay. These can damage our machinery, if they sneak in, so ask us about our hardfill, or hardfill general mix, if you’re looking to get rid of hardfill.
- Yes to noxious weeds! If you’ve been busy getting rid of aggressive weeds in your garden, don’t make the mistake of leaving them around, or trying to compost them at home. Just like your ex, you don’t want to see noxious weeds popping up in your garden again, even if it is with a boombox blasting your favourite love songs. Unfortunately, most home compost will never get hot enough to kill seeds from weeds such as moth plants, but we can make sure they’re heated up enough so that they don’t bother anyone anymore.
If you’re keen to deal with your green waste at home, go for gold! If you’re in Auckland, and you run into any issues with noxious weeds, plants that are difficult to break down, hardfill you’d like remove, or if you’ve got too much waste to fit into a collection bin, or take to a transfer station, sing out and we’ll send you a Pink Bin or Pink Bag to help you get on top of things lickety-split! We’ve got a perfectly sized option to suit you, and you may even be able to get WINZ assistance!