What can be recycled
Find out about what can and can't go in your recycling bin. A great tip is to look carefully before you buy; any packaging you buy will also cost you to dispose of. If we all work together to reduce waste, and sort it properly, we’ll make a huge difference to our district, and our world.
What goes in | What can't go in | Why certain things can't go in | Videos | Related links |
What goes in your recycling bin
Everything we put in our recycling crates and bins will be handled be someone – please keep it clean!
Plastics 
- Items with numbers 1, 2, 5 printed inside a triangle:
- 1 – water, juice and soft drink bottles
- 2 – milk, shampoo and cleaning product bottles
- 5 – large yoghurt containers and ice cream tubs.
- Rinse and do not squash.
Note: no lids should be put in recycling, regardless of number
Glass
- Rinsed bottles and jars.
- Lids must go in your rubbish bin.
- No broken glass.
Aluminium and steel cans
- Clean and do not squash.
- Include the tops inside the can, and pinch the can closed.
Paper and cardboard
- Flattened and clean.
- Eg cardboard packaging, newspapers, brochures, office paper, magazines, books, clean pizza boxes, egg cartons, window envelopes.
- Flattened cardboard should be no larger than your crate or bin.
Plastics 
Items with numbers 3, 4, 6, 7 printed inside a triangle, eg:
- 3 – some cracker trays
- 4 – some squeezy bottles
- 6 – small dairy pottles and tubs
- 7 – fresh pasta and deli packaging.
Soft plastics
This means plastic packaging that can be scrunched into a ball, including:
- shopping bags
- shrink wrap
- bubble wrap
- chippie packets
- chocolate bar wrappers.
Make sure they're clean, and take them to one of the local soft plastics recycling points in Paraparaumu, Ōtaki or Waikanae.
Remember – soft plastics must not go in your kerbside recycling bin.
Soiled, lined or mixed paper products
- Lined drink cartons
- Coffee cups
- Contaminated paper – greasy pizza boxes, wall paper or any other paper contaminated by glue, wax or food
- Greasy takeaway food containers
- Tissues and paper towels
Polystyrene
- Packaging (eg, used for electrical and other goods)
- Takeaway food and beverage containers
- Black meat trays.
No polystyrene, even if it has a number on it.
Dangerous items
- Aerosol cans
- Broken glass or bottles
Please do not put these items in your recycling bin:
- Clothing or shoes – take to drop off bins for re-usable and recyclable clothing and shoes
- Oils or paint tins
- Scrap metal
- Broken glass – frosted glass, window glass, mirrors, broken bottles
- Drinking glasses or cups, pyrex, crystals, ceramics, pottery or kitchenware
- Light bulbs
- Plastic lids (milk bottle, soft drink, etc, regardless of recycling number) – these are too small for handling at the recycling facility, and will end up in the rubbish.
Printable copy
You can also print this handy Kerbside recycling factsheet [PDF 7.15 MB].
Why certain things can't go in your recycling bin
Dirty or food-contaminated material
This can't be hygienically stored and processed for recycling and may attract pests. If there are contaminated items in your bin, the whole contents of your bin can no longer be used for recycling.
Examples of contaminated items are polystyrene meat trays, take away food packaging and soiled tissues. These items will always contain some food/fluid residue which makes them no longer usable for recycling. That is why you need to put these items into your regular rubbish.
Broken glass
Any glass that is broken can potentially hurt someone else and that's why you can't put broken glass jars and bottles in your recycling crate or wheelie-bin. Small items like broken drinking glasses or regular light bulbs can be put in your rubbish after wrapping them well in newspaper.
Sometimes it’s hard knowing your plastics – this short clip will help you identify the right ones to wash out and put in your recycling.
Videos
Know your plastics
Soft plastics
Lined Cartons
- Recycling factsheet (printable) [PDF 7.15 MB]