North Shore – Rubbish, recycling and food scraps bins and charges

​Rubbish bins

Rubbish bin sizes

• 240-litre bins are suitable for a household with up to five people.
• 120-litre bins are suitable for a household with up to three people.
• 80-litre bins are suitable for a household with up to two people.

Recycling bins

Recycling bin sizes

• 360-litre bins are suitable for a household with up to eight people or more.
• 240-litre bins are suitable for a household with up to five people.
• 120-litre bins are suitable for a household with up to three people.

Food scraps bin

The food scraps service includes a 23-litre food scraps bin and a kitchen caddy.

Compostable bin liners for your kitchen caddy

You can use an Auckland Council compostable food scraps bin liner in your food scraps kitchen caddy to help keep it clean.

For information about where to buy compostable bin liners and pricing, visit Food scraps collection bins and bin liners.

How rubbish, recycling and food scraps bin charges are calculated

You are charged for waste collection services each year in your property rates. The rating year runs from 1 July to 30 June.

If your new waste collection service starts part-way through the rating year, you will be charged from the date you order the service until 30 June.

Waste charges for a full year will be added to your property rates account from the new rating year starting 1 July.

You will not get a refund on your rates if you downsize a rubbish bin. The extra charge for the larger bin will be removed from your rates from 1 July.

Rubbish bin charges

North Shore's rates-funded rubbish service started in March 2025. The cost to your rates is:

• based on the size of your bin
• charged for the partial year (March 2025 to 30 June 2025).

If you order a new bin after March 2025, we calculate the cost based on:

• the size of your bin
• the month you ordered your bin (pro-rata charge).

Rubbish bin exchange fees

You will need to pay a one-off administration fee of $40 to exchange your bin.

Recycling bin charges

The annual charge for a new or additional recycling bin is pro-rated based on the month you order the bin:

Food scraps bin charges

The charge for a new food scraps bin and collection service is pro-rated based on:

• the month you ordered your bin and
• the end of the rating year (30 June).

We will add the full annual charge to your property rates from the start of the new financial year (1 July).

If your bin is often too full, you can contact us to request an additional bin at no cost.