[The Hodges]

It seems that everyone in our street (in Greenlane, Auck) has put out their junk so it can be collected by the council (presumably). We're feeling a bit left out, as our front lawn seems pretty sparse compared to everybody else's, as we filled a skip before we left the UK. I'm actually half expecting our car to be taken out with the rest of our neighbour's stuff, so I must remember to make sure it's in the garage for tomorrow... :D

We've seen loads of people rummaging through the stuff too, but we've seen no details from anyone about what happens and how it works. I've done a quick search on the forum, but gave up, but what's the deal with this? I assume the collection is free and people can help themselves, but do the dates vary from area to area? Is it publicised, but we missed it?

In the UK we just used to take our stuff to the tip/dump etc., where I used to spend most of my weekends just before we left, but I see that NZ have transfer stations. I assume that they work the same way too.

Any explanation of this (to us strange) activity, would be appreciated? :nice1

Cheers

[Pip]

Sorry!, we don't even have domestic refuse collection out here in the wilds of the canterbury plains! (although I believe they do in Rangiora)

Once a week, we take our recycling and domestic rubbish (in an approved council bag purchased at the local supermarket) to our nearest transfer station about ten mins away, which seems to be a close fit to "the tip" back home.

I know what you mean though about not quite fitting in!, - everyone there has a pick up van loaded with stuff, and there's me with my little MX-5 boot and no dog hanging out the window...(although I'm working on the dog, if him indoors can be persuaded!)

[Tia Maria]

It is probably your yearly inorganic rubbish collection, check out your council website, this is from the North Shore City Council site:

Inorganic collections

In addition to our weekly rubbish collection and fortnightly recycling service we also provide a kerbside inorganic collection to every household once a year between July and November.


You should put out no more than one cubic metre of rubbish. .All items must be able to be easily handled by two people. Inorganic rubbish does NOT include:

garden waste - soil, trees, green waste

demolition material - timber, concrete, rubble

hazardous waste - asbestos / fibrolite sheeting, chemicals, gas cylinders, paint tins, oil

bags of household rubbish.

tyres

You will receive notice of your collection the week before it is due to begin. Please have your rubbish on the kerbside no later than 7.30am on the Monday morning of the collection week.

Unwanted paint and paint cans can be taken to the Resene ColorShop in Wairau Park any day during opening hours. Alternatively, take your paint and paint cans to the Hazmobile collection.

If you live in a fairly wealthy area people often travel from quite far to see what's been chucked out, I think the Remeura one is quite popular! :D Round our way kids bikes, wood and wire seem to do quite well and are gone before the council can collect it.

There is a limit on how much you can put out, details are normally given in the local paper.

Cheers

Tia

[Oregonkiwi]

All the info you seek is here:
http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/services/rubbish/inorganic.asp
Every two years, Auckland City provides inorganic collections across the isthmus and Hauraki Gulf Island. Waiheke and Great Barrier Island collections were completed in late 2006.

The Auckland isthmus collection will run from late February to the end of June 2007.

Collecting treasures off other people's piles is the best part! We got a nice kauri chest of drawers off our neighbour's pile this weekend :)

[jubjub]

Ah, yes inorganic rubbish.

Its a good thing, and a bad thing all at once, you get rid of all your stuff for free without going down to the dump, but on the other hand you get vans trawling the streets hunting for scrap metal, taking your neat pile apart and scattering it, we had not even finished putting ours out this year, and we were getting vans kerb crawling to wait until we had gone inside.

Some folks get some good stuff out of it, particularly round the more well to do areas, a friend of mine got three strollers, and a whole stack of toys!

Its hilarious some of the stuff you see, some couches I have seen were 50's originals I reckon!

[jaycee]

I love this idea, though the first time I saw it happening I thought that I must be in a very untidy neighbourhood! It's great not to have to cart stuff to the tip - and yes, it's like a huge bring and buy (well, take) sale.

I saw a nice iron headboard in someone else's pile, and thought 'I'll get that on the way home' - by then it had gone :( Someone took my huge pile of horrible old carpet as well. One person's junk....

[The Hodges]

details are normally given in the local paper.

Thanks Tia, we must have missed that one, but we usually read the local rag, so I don't know how that happened.... :o