How to use your food scraps bin

Read the full transcript of this video.

What you can put in your food scraps bin

• Fruit and vegetable scraps, including peelings, cores, stalks and skin.
• Bread, pasta and rice.
• Dairy products.
• Meat bones and scraps, including fat trimmings.
• Fish bones and scraps, including shellfish shells.
• Egg shells, nut shells and coconut husks.
• Coffee grounds and tea leaves.
• Fats/oils – solidified (if possible).
• Indoor cut flowers.
• Auckland Council compostable bin liners - for more information, including availability, see Food scraps collection bins and bin liners.
• Any type of certified home compostable bin liner.
• Paper to line your kitchen caddy to help soak up any liquids.

What you cannot put in your food scraps bin

• Plastic bags. 
• Disposable food containers (including compostable items).
• Food wrapping, including cling film, waxed paper or aluminium foil.  
• Cloth and clothing. 
• Nappies and sanitary products. 
• Pet waste. 
• Liquids or chemicals. 
• Cigarette butts. 
• Soil or rocks. 
• Garden waste like weeds, lawn clippings or hedge trimmings.
• Tea/coffee bags (as these may contain plastic).

For information on how to make the most of your food scraps collection service, see Food scraps collection bins and bin liners.

​What to do on your rubbish collection day

Put your food scraps bin out for collection on your council rubbish collection day.

How to place your bins

• Put your food scraps bin out to the side of your wheelie bins (not in front, behind, or between wheelie bins) - leave a large gap between bins so they don't get knocked over.
• Leave the handle up to lock the bin lid in place and also make it easy for the collector to pick the bin up - if the handle doesn't lock properly, try pressing down on the lid.

Our rubbish and recycling trucks have mechanical arms that need space to operate safely.

Where possible, put rubbish, recycling, and food scraps bins away from power poles, trees, parked cars, other bins, and other obstructions.

This will help our drivers find your food scraps bin and will stop your food scraps bin being knocked over by the mechanical arm.

If you share the berm with your neighbours, put your food scraps bins together in a cluster.

This will make more room for your rubbish and recycling bins.

Find out what to do if there's a problem with your bin or collection.

How to keep your food scraps bin clean

• Use a compostable bin liner for your kitchen caddy or wrap your food scraps in newspaper.
  
• Change your compostable bin liner for a new one every two to three days to prevent spills and odours. 
  
• You can also line your kitchen caddy and roadside bin with paper bags, newspaper, or a paper towel to soak up any liquid - do not use plastic bags.
• Store your food scraps in the fridge or freezer.
• Rinse your roadside bin regularly to avoid smells.