Introducing New Zealand's First Radio Tagged, Non Spill Wheelie Bin

Introducing New Zealand’s
First Radio Tagged, Non Spill Wheelie Bin

Refuse collectors in Porirua in New Zealand will know if someone tries to misuse one of the city’s mixed recycling bins. The bins come fitted with radio tags that emit a warning light that informs collectors that they’re about to empty a bin which doesn’t match the address of the property it’s linked to. The bins have unique codes that are specific to each property.

The city is leading the way in recycling bin innovation. Around 18,000 bins will be rolled out to residents this month, and they’ll replace the crates that are being used currently. As well as the radio tags, the bins will feature a latch which would stop rubbish from spilling out if it fell over. The council is the first in the country to introduce this on their bins as standard. The council say they have listened to residents’ concerns that their recycling gets strewn around the streets on windy days and that the latches will help. Another 140 litre bin for glass is also being handed out to residents.

Mixed recycling will be collected every 2 weeks and glass every 4 weeks. The new bins won’t cost any more than the crates that are currently in operation and the council say that most residents welcome the move. The new collection services will mean that there are less refuse vehicles on the road. This means less carbon emissions and safer roads.

The decision to introduce bins

The council are bringing in wheelie bins in response to residents telling them that they would be more convenient to use. People could also potentially recycle a lot more waste. Residents told the council that they thought that wheelie bins were more likely to stop rubbish blowing around on windy days which is a common complaint.

The council has not yet decided what they are going to do with the old crates. Rubbish collections will not be affected by the changes as this is a separate service.

In other parts of New Zealand, residents in Wellington City and Kāpiti Coast already have wheelie bins for their recycling, while Lower Hutt residents have crates. Upper Hutt City Council provides drop-off bins at the kerbside as part of their recycling collection service.