A to Z recycling and disposal guide

Put into your rubbish bag or wheelie bin.  

Household chemicals and paints can be dangerous if they are not stored or disposed of safely. They are harmful to human health and the environment. 

Aerosol cans can also be taken to: 

• Whangārei Re:Sort (northlandwaste.co.nz)
• Phoenix Metalman Recycling (phoenixrecycling.co.nz)

Aerosols - hair care

You can recycle any brand of used hair care aerosols through the Schwarzkopf Cares Hair Aerosol Free Recycling Programme with Terracycle. 

Schwarzkopf Cares Hair Aerosol Free Recycling Programme (terracycle.com)

Related keywords

spray, can, aerosol, air freshener, insect spray, bug spray, fly spray, ant spray, spray paint, deodorant, hairspray, hair spray, deodorant, haircare, hair care

You can arrange to have your old or unwanted agrichemicals collected through Agrecovery.

Chemical disposal - Agrecovery Rural Recycling Programme (agrecovery.co.nz)

Please check the Northland Regional Council's website for information about household hazardous waste and scheduled amnesty dates.  

Household hazardous waste (nrc.govt.nz)

Related keywords

herbicide, pesticide, insecticide, spray, fertiliser, poison, fertiliser, fungicide, veterinary medicine, detergent, sanitiser, pest control, farms, orchards

Plastic containers, drums, bags, bale wrap etc. can be recycled through Plasback and Agrecovery schemes. 

Please view the Northland Regional Council's website for information about farm plastic waste, the recycling providers and alternative disposal methods. 

Farm plastic wastes (nrc.govt.nz)

Related keywords

agriculture, container, plastic drum, bags, bale wrap, silage, cover, feed bag, pallet cover, Polypropylene feed, seed bag, fertiliser bag, polyethylene container, HDPE, Vineyard net, monofilament net, twine, irrigation, tree guard, pipes

Cans

Rinse the can.  Put into your red recycling bin or drop off at any transfer station for free.  

Please do not squash the cans as it makes them harder for the machine to sort. 

Foil

Put into your rubbish bag or wheelie bin.

Trays

Put into your rubbish bag or wheelie bin.

Related keywords

soft drink can, beer can, tinned, tin, drink, soda, foil tray, food, soup, sardine, tinfoil, tin foil, spaghetti, baked beans, steel, food can

Unwanted or old ammunition or firearms can be disposed of via the NZ Police. 

Disposal of illegally held or unwanted firearms (firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz)

You can arrange a time to surrender the arms items by:  

• phoning the non-emergency Police number 105 or 
• contacting your closest regional firearms office. 

Regional firearms offices (firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz)

Note: Please do not turn up unannounced to a Police station with a firearm. Please book a date and time for the secure transfer. 

It’s also important you make sure a firearm is unloaded, with the bolt removed (if possible), the magazine removed (if it is detachable), a trigger or cable lock applied and / or in a locked case or bag. 

Ammunition should be transported separately from the firearm. If possible, use a chamber safety flag to indicate that the firearm is not loaded. 

Storage and transportation of firearms and ammunition (firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz)

Police will not pay for or provide any compensation for firearms, other arms items or ammunition that are surrendered. 

Related keywords

bullet, ammunition, gun, rifle, shotgun, firearm, fire arm, weapon, hand gun, handgun, pistol, revolver, artillery, munitions, musket, slug, shot, ammo, cartridge, arms

There are different types of inhalers

Type 1: inhaler with plastic outer cover / lid and separate removable aluminium canister

The plastic outer cover / lid is not suitable for recycling. 

Put into your rubbish bag or wheelie bin.

The separate removable inner canister is aluminium and is recyclable.

Put into your red recycling bin or drop off at any transfer station for free. 

Type 2: all-plastic inhaler

Put into your rubbish bag or wheelie bin. This is not suitable for recycling.

See also:  Medicine and medicine / pill packaging

Related keywords

inhaler, asthma, canister, cannister

If it's in good condition, reuse it.  

Countdown reusable shopping bags that are damaged, can be returned to the store for a replacement.

Related keywords

shopping bag, bag, supermarket bag

Consider reusing bags for storing leftovers in your freezer, or for loose produce when grocery shopping, as a few examples. 

You can recycle soft plastics through the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme operating in:

• Countdown stores across Whangārei
• PAK'nSAVE
• New World Regent
• The Warehouse.

Soft plastic includes:

• grocery bags
• bread bags
• bubble wrap
• plastic wrappers or foil-like plastic sleeves of products such as biscuits, chips, chocolate bars, crackers etc
• foiled coffee pouches
• anything you buy that has a soft plastic sheath. 

Have a look on the Soft Plastic Recycling website for a full list:

Soft plastics recycling (recycling.kiwi.nz)

Related keywords

plastic bag, shopping bag, ziplock, freezer bag, freezer bags, bread, grocery, bubble wrap, biscuits, chips, pasta, rice, cereal box liners, wrappers, courier pack, dry dog food bags, plastic wrapper, polyethylene bag

Batteries should NOT go into your household bins or to landfill.

Consider using re-chargeable batteries instead of disposable batteries where possible. 

You can drop off used household batteries and power tool batteries at Bunnings Warehouse through their national battery recycling programme. These include batteries from electrical equipment, toys, power tools and hearing aids. They do not accept car batteries.

Where and how to recycle batteries - Bunnings  (bunnings.co.nz)

There is a bin for household batteries (including lithium batteries) at Re:Sort, 201 Kioreroa Road.

Whangārei Re:Sort (northlandwaste.co.nz)

All batteries can be taken to Phoenix Metalman Recycling. There is a charge to pay for disposal of lithium batteries ($6.50/kg) and nickel cadmium batteries. There are two locations in Whangārei - Rewa Rewa Road and Hiko Road, Te Kamo. 

Recycling batteries (phoenixrecycling.co.nz)

Hearing aids and hearing aid batteries can usually be given back to your local audiologist.

Car batteries

Car batteries can be taken to Phoenix Metalman Recycling. There are two locations in Whangārei - Rewa Rewa Road and Hiko Road, Kamo. 

Recycling batteries  (phoenixrecycling.co.nz)

You can also take car batteries to Re:Sort, 201 Kioreroa Road. 

Whangārei Re:Sort (northlandwaste.co.nz)

Related keywords

battery, batteries, household, power tools, car, toy, lithium, lithium-ion, hearing aid

Beauty - empty

There are a few free recycling programmes with Terracycle.  

You can drop off any empty beauty products, no matter what brand, at any MECCA or Sephora stores for recycling.  

MECCA Beauty Product free recycling programme (terracycle.com)

Sephora free recycling programme (terracycle.com)

Check the Terracycle website to see what other brands offer a free recycling programme.  Some brands have reward programmes and you could receive some complimentary goodies in return!

Free beauty recycling programmes (terracycle.com)

Make-up

Drop into the disposal box in the make-up section at The Chemist Warehouse, 21 Okara Drive, Whangārei. 

Recycle any brand of used make-up packaging through the MECCA Beauty Product free recycling programme with Terracycle.

MECCA Beauty Product free recycling programme (terracycle.com)

Re-purpose

Use empty beauty containers for storing small items in your home.  

Related keywords

lipstick, nail polish, foundation, compact, eyeliner, mascara, cosmetics, makeup, moisturiser, cream, perfume, toiletries, skincare, bottles, droppers, tubes, scoops, sachets, Detox, powder pots, tubs, plastic, pump, masks

Consider learning the basics of bike maintenance, e.g. puncture repair to keep your bike running smoothly for longer.

Whare Bike (facebook.com)

The Repair Café Whangārei holds free monthly events where volunteers donate their time to help repair small applications (no microwaves), textiles, bikes, wooden items, sharpen tolls and more. 

Repair Cafe Whangārei (facebook.com)

Related keywords

bicycle, bike, cycle

You can purchase a Zero Waste Box from Terracycle to collect empty blister packs in your home or workplace.

Use a free post label to send the box back to Terracycle for processing. 

Zero Waste boxes (terracycle.co.nz)

Related keywords

blister, pack, packaging

Put into your rubbish bag or wheelie bin.  

Related keywords

bottle, cap, caps, plastic, metal, top

Consider donating your old bras to Project Uplift who collect and send bras to women in need or donate to second hand op shops.

Project Uplift drop-off points (projectuplift.org.nz)

Related keywords

bras, clothing

You can recycle soft plastics through the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme operating in:

• Countdown stores across Whangārei
• PAK'nSAVE
• The Warehouse.

Soft plastic includes:

• grocery bags
• bread bags
• bubble wrap
• plastic wrappers or foil-like plastic sleeves of products such as biscuits, chips, chocolate bars, crackers etc
• foiled coffee pouches
• anything you buy that has a soft plastic sheath. 

Have a look on the Soft Plastic Recycling website for a full list:

Soft plastics recycling (recycling.kiwi.nz)

Related keywords

Bubble wrap, soft plastic