Do you know which types of plastic go in your recycling bin and which ones don't?
Should you keep the lid on or take it off? If you're confused by the rules in your town, you're probably not alone - new research from the Waste Management Institute shows almost 40 percent of plastics that can be recycled are ending up in the tip.
To reduce that waste, the government is being urged to look at better labelling requirements for packaging, as well as national rules for kerbside recycling.
RNZ reporter Sarah Robson has the details.