Rubbish & Recycling Collection

Blue-lidded glass only bin

Clean glass bottles and jars only. It is not necessary to remove labels or metal rings.

Other glass has to go in the rubbish bin, including wine glasses, drinking glasses, perfume/deodorant bottles, moisturiser jars, heat-proof glass (i.e. Pyrex), windows, lightbulbs and mirrors. Lids and crockery go in the rubbish too.

Yellow-lidded mixed recycling bin

As of 1 December there are only seven things that should go into your yellow recycling bin:

• Clear PET (1) Clear bottles only
• HDPE (2) Plastic bottles & containers
• Tins
• Cans
• PP (5) Plastic bottles & containers
• Paper
• Cardboard

Read more about the changes to kerbside recycling here.

If you're not sure whether something can be recycled, put it in the rubbish. 

Red-lidded rubbish bin

All non-recyclable materials, i.e. soft plastics, plastic bags, meat trays, biscuit trays, punnets, plastic types 3,4,6,7, coffee cups, juice or milk cartons, non-flammable aerosol cans, nappies, lids.   

Don't put hot ashes, lithium batteries or chemicals in the rubbish bin. They might leak or start a fire. 

Find more detail on what goes in the bin here.

Rubbish is collected every week.  Your blue  glass recycling bin and yellow mixed recycling bin are collected on alternate weeks.   

Head to reminders.saveourstuff.co.nz and type in your address to find out what your collection day is  and which bins to put out when.  

You can also download and print a hard copy of the collection calendar below: 

Wakatipu collection calendar

Upper Clutha collection calendar

Rubbish at remembering?   Sign up for free weekly reminders via  text or email.  

Sign up for reminders here

It only takes a small amount of contamination to send everyone's glass to landfill.    

Put only clean glass bottles and jars in the glass recycling bin.  All other types of glass should go into the rubbish bin . 

If you're not sure whether something can be recycled, put it in the rubbish.  

Your rubbish and recycling need to be out on the kerb (or your designated collection point) before 7.00am on your rubbish day. Be sure to bring your bin back in after your rubbish has been collected.

On collection day, please take a minute to put your bins out properly.  It helps keep the footpaths clear, safe and looking tidy.  It also helps the drivers get around their routes quicker. 

Top tips for presenting your bin:

• On kerbside, close to the road. 
• Give your bins space, they should be at least 50cm apart. 
• Bins should be facing out, lids closed flat. 
• 1 metre away from solid objects. 

We provide free Wheelie Bin Clips to Queenstown Lakes District residents to help prevent  rubbish and recycling pollution if a bin is blown over.  The clips self-release when the bin is tipped into the  truck. 

The free clips can be collected at Council offices on Gorge Road or Shotover Street (Queenstown) or Ardmore Street (Wānaka).

There are no kerbside collections on Good Friday, ANZAC Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Kerbside collections scheduled for those days will take place on the following day. Please put your bin out by 7am as collections start early.

Collections for the rest of the week may also be affected. Check the timetable below for a full list of changes due to public holidays.

Holiday Collection Timetable 2021/22 

Kerbside collection days are not affected by any other public holidays.

If you're rubbish at remembering, sign up for free reminders and take the stress out it! 

reminders.saveourstuff.co.nz 

It can be challenging for some Multi-unit developments (MUD) to store three bins per household.  

Council and Waste Management  will work with new MUD's to determine the best option for kerbside collections. 

If it is not possible for the Council service to meet your needs, then the whole multi-unit development may opt out of the council service and engage a commercial waste provider.  To opt out, every property in the MUD must complete the following form: 

Yes, you can get extra recycling bins for kerbside collections.

Phone 0800 22 24 31 and ask for an “enhanced service” for Queenstown Lakes.

There will be a charge involved.

For those people in the community that may require assistance there is an on property service available.    This is for those who due to disability, impairment or frailty, have difficulty getting their wheelie bins to the kerbside. 

If you would like to be considered for this service please complete the form below and return to  services@qldc.govt.nz or drop it into one of the Council offices. 

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide evidence of your situation, and a site visit will be conducted to better understand your needs.