How do I book a free inorganic rubbish collection with Auckland Council?

Missed your Auckland Inorganic Rubbish Collection?

Junk Run offers an alternative inorganic rubbish and junk service if you have missed the Auckland Council one. Please call 021 586 544 for more information or read on.

If you are a ratepayer in Auckland then you are entitled to one free collection of your inorganic rubbish per year. There are quite a few things to know about this free service before you get too excited about seeing some space again at your place. Here at Junk Run we get a lot of calls and questions about this.

Firstly, there is a limit to the amount of inorganic waste the council will take, and that is 1 cubic metre per year, with no individual item weighing more than 55 kgs.

1 cubic metre is actually not that much stuff, and looks something like this…

For the more maths orientated of you with tape measures….

This pile we gathered together for our picture wouldn’t be accepted by the council collectors for several reasons….

1. It is inside the garage.
2. It contains prohibited items. (More about that later).

Inorganic Rubbish – the yes and no’s…

So, some important things to know about what you can get collected and what you cannot.

Inorganic rubbish the council will happily take:

1. Large old appliances like fridges, freezers, washing machines and ovens. * (note weight limit per item).
2. Small kitchen appliances like coffee machines, kettles, toasters and food processors.
3. Household furniture like old beds, mattresses, other kitchen items. 
4. Sports goods like bikes, scooters, hats, bats, balls and rackets.
5. Some renovation items like carpets, wood (without any exposed nails) * (note builders and trade waste exclusion below).
6. Outdoor items like BBQ’s deck furniture, garden tools. * (note weight limit per item again).
7. E waste- like old computers and TV’s.

However, there are some inorganic items that are not going to be taken and will get left behind:

1. Organic food or other organic waste that should be in your usual rubbish collection.
2. General recycling that should be in your fortnightly recycling bin.
3. Garden green waste, grass clippings or tree branches or plant cuttings.
4. Polystyrene which includes any packing materials AND beanbags.
5. No builders waste – see item 5 above and take note. No gib or plaster board, nothing with exposed nails, no concrete or rubble, no tiles or bricks, no porcelain like old toilets or old bathroom vanities.
6. No glass – take note for number 2 and 3 above.
7. No clothing items at all.
8. No asbestos items.
9. No weapons.
10. No toxic, flammable, explosive, corrosive or radioactive items like gas cylinders, paints, thinners, petrol, diesel, oil and acids.
11. Any individual item that weighs more than 55kgs.

Inorganic collection day tips

Council cannot collect your items if they are scattered around your property, your pile needs to be together and clearly accessible for the staff, with nothing in the way like cars, bins or garden furniture. Your pile cannot be outside on the council berm, there is a $400 fine for leaving rubbish outside your property. Your pile cannot be under a carport or in a shed or garage and needs to be  very obvious to find, close to the driveway. Gates need to be left open. Definitely no dogs or angry cats (that cat bit was a joke) roaming around AND said pile needs to be ready to roll by 7am on the day of your booked collection – so set that alarm clock early.

We failed with our pile on several counts. The gas cylinder, being inside the garage, clothing, polystyrene, the glass jar and petrol. As you can see 1 cubic metre is not that much stuff at all. A large couch is often bigger than this by itself. If you have too much stuff, incorrect “things” or your pile has been put the wrong place then council will leave it all behind with a note explaining why.

How to get started on your Inorganic Waste booking..

If you would like to make a booking you can start by contacting Auckland Council. Keep in mind the council works through each area of Auckland systematically so you will need to understand when collectors are in your area. If you have questions about inorganic Auckland rubbish collections and need to talk to council- then their phone number is 09 301 0101.

And after all that if you have more than 1 cubic metre to pick up, or need some help to get rid of the things you no longer need then please give us a call on 021 586 544 or email us info@junkrun.co.nz