Recycling in the Buller District

Zone one covers Westport, the areas from Westport to the Mōkihinui Bridge, Westport to Punakaiki, Westport to Reefton including Blacks Point, and Reefton to Ikamatua. Yellow bins are collected fortnightly. Glass is collected in glass recycling crates (fortnightly).

Zone two is the Karamea area, from north of the Mōkihinui Bridge. Recycling can be dropped off at the Karamea Resource Recovery Centre and Disposal Facility.

Zone three is beyond Blacks Point including Springs Junction and Maruia. Recycling can be dropped off at the Maruia Landfill and Recycling Facility on SH 65, 12km from Springs Junctions, where plastics #1, #2 and #5, cardboard, paper, aluminium tins and glass are accepted if rinsed, cleaned, checked, and separated.  

The Maruia Landfill and Recycling Facility has a recycling container that has six boxes, one for plastics, one for paper/cardboard, one for cans and three for each colour of glasses (clear, brown, green).

The container can be accessed during opening hours Thursdays between 1pm - 2.30pm.   

Read more about refuse and recycling zones

• Clear and coloured plastics marked #1, #2 and #5 - rinsed clean and lids removed. Check the number on the container.
• Glass jars and bottles (clean)
• Clean aluminium cans and steel tins
• Clean paper and cardboard items bigger than an envelope, including clean pizza boxes, free from food residue. 

• Any plastics without a recycling mark, or marked with 3, 4, 6 or 7 
• Items made with multiple components like Tetra Paks, Pringles containers and carton packaging, laminated paper, toys, aluminium foil, compostable items, aerosol cans, disposable coffee cups 
• Plastic bags (soft plastics) 
• Undersized items (smaller than 50 mm), like lids and caps 
• Plant pots (accepted at Mitre 10) 
• E-waste (accepted at transfer stations) 
• Polystyrene (accepted at Mitre 10) 
• Small batteries (accepted at transfer stations and Mitre 10) 
• Scrap metal (accepted at transfer stations)  
• Green waste and food scraps (green waste is accepted at transfer stations) 
• Crockery, ceramics and similar items 
• Drinking glasses, windowpanes and car windscreens 
• Bubble wrap

Top things that can’t be recycled

Common items that shouldn’t go into your recycling bin but are frequently found in recycling across New Zealand are:

• Paper cups
• Plastic cutlery
• Tissues
• Till receipts
• Juice cartons
• Coffee cups and lids
• Compostable bottles
• Compostable packaging and cups.

Mitre 10, EXPOL, Hilton Haulage and the Buller District Council have joined forces to deliver a polystyrene recycling project which enables Buller residents to prevent their waste polystyrene from going to landfill. 

There is a collection cube available in Mitre 10’s trade drive-through, where households can drop off small quantities of polystyrene, free of charge. 

Once collected, the polystyrene will be sent to Christchurch, where it will be recycled by EXPOL, a polystyrene manufacturer which incorporates recycled content into a number of its products. 

Polystyrene must meet the following criteria in order to be accepted: 

• Each household can drop off up to 240 litres. 

• Polystyrene must be clean. This means no dirt, food waste or residue, stickers or tape on the polystyrene. 

Read more about this exciting initiative here.

Lightbulbs shouldn't be disposed of with ordinary household waste, as they are considered hazardous. 

You can recycle all typical household lightbulb types (incandescent/LED/fluorescent) instore at Mitre 10 Westport via a collection box located in the lighting section.

Mitre 10 have partnered with Interwaste to reduce waste to landfill - depending on the type, up to 100% of each lightbulb can be recycled.

Used lightbulbs are sent to a recycler, where the lightbulbs are broken down - the components are then used as raw materials for other products.

This scheme is for household quantities of lightbulbs only - trade customers, please contact Interwaste on 0800 102 131. 

See here for more information.

Agrecovery collection sites are available in both Westport and Reefton, for free drop-off of rinsed agrichemical containers up to 60L in size.

Collection centres are based at Farmlands Westport, and the Reefton Transfer Station.

Opening hours:

• Reefton Transfer Station: Tuesdays and Thursday to Sunday, 1pm-4pm
• Farmlands Westport: Monday – Friday 8am-5pm. Saturday 9am – 12pm

Go to our Agrichemical container recycling page to find out more.

It is free to dispose of electronic waste in Buller for individuals and small businesses. E-waste is a broad term covering a wide range of products that are powered by electricity via cords or batteries - any electrical product that is unwanted or has reached the end of its useful life.

You can drop off your e-waste at the Westport or Reefton Transfer station during opening hours.

Fridges and freezers can also be disposed of for free. They are accepted at the Westport Transfer Station only.

Did you know? Research shows that Kiwis get their recycling right 85% of the time. Join the ‘get it right’ team and make sure your recycling doesn’t end up going to the dump.

• Read more about e-waste.

People and businesses can drop off their used car, truck, motorcycle, and trailer tyres free of charge at registered tyre collection sites at the Westport and Reefton Transfer Stations and the Karamea landfill during opening hours. Tyres need to be de-rimmed and be clean to be dropped off.

All pneumatic (air filled) tyres used for motorised vehicles like cars, trucks, and motorcycles are accepted. Drop-off is limited to five tyres per person or company per day.

Businesses selling tyres, such as tyre wholesalers, tyre retailers, or tyre fitters, will have their tyres collected from their premises.

Tyrewise, the company approved by central government to run the tyre stewardship program in New Zealand, will collect all worn out tyres from the approved collection sites. It will also work on finding solutions to turn discarded tyres into new products, such as those used for playgrounds, sports grounds, arena dressing, or cement production. This is funded by the tyre stewardship fee included in the purchase price. 

If you would like to know more read our media release.