Wanting to do more? Check out a range of alternative recycling schemes that the Council is currently aware of.

Love NZ Soft Plastics Recycling

The Soft Plastic Recycling programme is no longer operating in the South Island. For more details, please visit the Soft Plastic Recycling website(external link).
(external link)

All soft plastics must go in your rubbish bin.

Why can’t you put them in the yellow bin?

Soft plastic packaging is not collected by The Council for recycling because it can contaminate the recycling process.

There actually isn’t any value in soft plastics – it's not like other recyclables like glass and aluminium - so we have to pay to have it recycled. That’s why we need to have manufacturers and big brands contributing to the costs of recycling this soft plastic.

Disclaimer: To help the public finding alternatives to recycle items that are not accepted in the wheelie bins collection, Christchurch City Council wishes to inform the public of the following schemes. This information is provided on an indicative basis only, and the Council does not warrant the accuracy, correctness or completeness the information provided.

The RE:MOBILE programme

Run by the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum, RE:MOBILE offers an environmentally friendly way to recycle mobile phones. 

There are two ways to make sure your phone gets to RE:MOBILE for safe recycling:

Drop it off

There are a number of locations across the country where you can drop off unwanted mobile phones. Visit remobile.co.nz(external link) to find the one nearest you.

Post it

Put your unwanted phone inside any envelope and send it to this FreePost address:

RE:MOBILE
Private Bag 208004
Highbrook
Auckland
2161

RE:MOBILE fits with Christchurch City Council's objective of making sure that as much recyclable material as possible is diverted away from the landfill.

The programme also helps to look after our waterways through a partnership with Sustainable Coastlines(external link). The award-winning New Zealand charity has partnered with RE:MOBILE to collect and recycle mobile phones.

The proceeds from this partnership help to plant trees alongside our waterways to restore our native animals, natural habitats, reduce sediment and improve water quality.

Again Again - Resusable cup lending system

Why use Again Again?

It is estimated that in New Zealand, we throw out 295 million single use cups a year. What doesn't get to the landfill, escapes into the enivornment where the cup's plastic lining means that it can take forever or never break down. Reusable cups are becoming increasingly popular. If you can have your takeaway coffee poured into a reusable cup then the problem disappears.

If an average cafe pours half its takeaway coffees into an Again Again cup instead of a single use cup, this will divert about 20,000 cups from the landfill each year, just from that one cafe.

How it works

Unlike single use cups which are not accepted in the recycling or organics bin or personal reusable cups, which require forethought, Again Again designs out waste by providing a fleet of reusable steel cups available by deposit and return at any participating cafe, enabling coffee drinkers anywhere to save the planet with every convenient, guilt-free sip.

For locations and to find out more visit Again Again(external link).