Statistics on rubbish collection in Christchurch.
The Council’s contractor collects rubbish from the red-lidded wheelie bins placed at the kerbside every second week. The standard sized rubbish wheelie bin is 140 litres. This is the maximum size available for rubbish.
On average, every fortnight 84% of rubbish bins are presented for collection. The average weight of a bin is 13.25 kg.
The Council’s contractor collects the organics (food and garden waste) from the green-lidded wheelie bins placed at the kerbside every week. The standard-sized organics wheelie bin is 80 litres. It is possible to request a 240 litre organics bin instead, for an additional annual charge.
On average, every week 57% of organics bins are presented for collection. The average weight of a bin is 11.60 kg.
The Council’s contractor collects recycling (paper, cardboard, glass, metal and plastic containers) from the yellow-lidded wheelie bins placed at kerbside every second week. The standard sized recycling bin is 240 litres. It is possible to request a second 240 litre recycling bin for an additional annual charge.
On average, 77% of properties presented wheelie bins for collection in 2012/13. The average weight of a recycling bin was 12.24 kg.
For a comparison of the waste tonnages across waste streams please refer to the graph below.
The waste sent to landfill from Christchurch includes rubbish from:
The types of waste disposed of include:
| Type of waste disposed | 2011/2012 audit figures |
| Timber | 20.4% |
| Organics | 19.5% |
| Rubber | 12.3% |
| Rubble, concrete etc | 12.3% |
| Plastics | 11.3% |
| Special waste* | 10.3% |
| Paper | 8.6% |
| Textiles | 6.2% |
| Sanitary waste | 3.8% |
| Glass | 3.7% |
| Ferrous materials | 2.8% |
| Non-ferrous materials | 0.5% |
| Total | 207,485 tonnes |
* Special wastes refers to wastes defined in a solid waste industry workplace context as requiring special attention, and waste substances targeted by the Ministry for Environment to ensure their disposal is environmentally safe such as spent batteries, end-of-life tyres, agrichemical waste, and electronic waste.
Note: Not all plastics, organics, paper, glass and ferrous (iron, steel) and non-ferrous (aluminium, copper, lead) items are divertible. The maximum diversion potential was assessed as follows:
| Recoverable materials | Percentage |
| Paper – recyclable | 6.8% |
|
Plastic – recyclable |
0.9% |
| Ferrous metals | 2.8% |
| Non-ferrous metals | 0.5% |
| Glass – recyclable | 2.0% |
| Rubble – concrete | 1.0% |
| Rubble – cleanfill | 1.5% |
| Rubble – other (50% assumed to be plasterboard) |
4.9% |
| Timber – untreated & unpainted | 4.0% |
|
Compostable material |
10.7% |
| Organics – compostable green waste | |
| Total | 39.8% (82,619t) |
