An Auckland Council food waste bin ready for pickup. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro
Auckland residents are getting a new kind of bin, but not everyone is excited about it.
Small, green-topped bins are being provided to households for the collection of organic waste. Some residents are pleased, but for others the whole scheme stinks.
Auckland Council said about 180,000 of the bins had been rolled out already. Initially, they were given to West Auckland residents, but the council is aiming to get one to every urban resident in the city.
Collections are planned for all areas by the end of the year.
In the areas where the bins have already been received there has been controversy. Comments across neighbourhood Facebook pages from residents irate that they could not opt out of the bin.
In West Auckland, Shinal McKoy was initially pleased when the bin arrived but has found it a struggle to take out.
"When you've got three bins to take out in quite a long driveway, it has extra trips which sounds super lazy, but I've got a really young baby and a toddler, so those extra trips are a bit of a mission."
Other West Auckland residents were quick to vent their frustration on Facebook.
"We tried using [it] as a scraps bin, but the ants. OMG, they just kept coming, I'm still getting a few in each day," one person said.
"I think it is too small, and when it's full it's heavy. Imagine how the elderly get on. I have to put mine on the kids scooter to get it to the end of our long driveway," another wrote.
"With the amount of wind we have they all get strewn across the countryside if not taken in immediately after collection."
McKoy said she has also noticed the bins falling over, and animals getting into them.
One Tree Hill resident Sarah, who was part of the bins' initial trial five years ago in Papakura when she lived there, said when she was part of the trial the response was broadly positive, and complaints when the wider rollout began were a surprise.
"Everybody was using them, and there was never one single comment that I can recall discussed on any of our local Facebook pages, anything negative about them, I've been quite shocked at some of the responses from people about these bins."
Sarah said residents may be put off by the cost in rates.
"I think some people just are a little bit more aware of every single thing the council does and where their rates dollars are going, and if they deem something as unnecessary, then it's unnecessary for everybody."
Auckland Council General Manager of Waste Solutions Parul Sood said the bins cost can be averaged out across the whole year.
"The current cost in your rate is $77.00 for the whole year and bearing in mind it's a weekly service, it's only $77.00 for the whole year."
She said anyone struggling with bad smells or insects attracted to the bin can freeze their waste before it's time to put the bin out to reduce those issues.
For people who already compost, Sood said the trial in Papakura found people who already composted found a use for the bins.
"Sometimes what happens with your home compost is you may not want to put citrus or onion peels or bones or meat in your home compost, just in case it attracts any vermin."
As for whether people should be able to opt out of the bin, Sood said like many council services the benefits are not just for the individuals who use it, but the whole community.
She said everyone contributing to pay for the service makes it more affordable, and she is encouraging all residents to give the bins a try.
