An innovative token system for the collection of organic waste is proposed by Auckland City’s works committee as part of an integrated waste management strategy to significantly reduce Auckland’s waste stream.

The proposed scheme will be considered by the full council next week.

Under the proposed new system, ratepayers would be issued with between four and eight tokens which would be used to purchase a variety of waste minimisation services from approved organic waste operators. The services could include garden waste collections, buying home composting bins or buying compost.

The organic waste system complements the council’s decision to substitute 240 litre mobile garbage bins with 120 litre mobile garbage bins from July next year and would be introduced at the same time.

The existing 240 litre bins would be gifted to residents to use in conjunction with approved garden waste collectors and could only be used for that purpose after July 1 next year. General household rubbish will be collected in 120 litre mobile garbage bins from that date and the kerbside recycling collection will continue.

“The organic waste collection token system would give people a choice and would be entirely flexible because ratepayers could choose the organic waste services that suit them best,” Cr Astley said.

“It’s about the council giving ratepayers the chance to choose the services that suit them best rather than the council telling them they’re getting a kerbside organic waste collection and that’s it. Our customer research has shown us that this flexibility is something people want.”

Cr Astley says the token system is uniquely Auckland and has been developed with the complete support of large and small organic waste operators.

“Currently, half of what people put out in the bins is garden or kitchen waste,” he said. “By separating out this organic content, we will be making strong progress in terms of achieving our long term goal of reducing business and household rubbish by up to 80 per cent.”

Details and costs of the new systems will be finalised in the next few months.

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