Economic and eco-friendly garden waste disposal
The ideal way to manage green waste by-product is to reinvest it in your garden, or in the case of wood matter, into your fireplace to keep you warm this winter. We’ve got some helpful tips below, but if home waste disposal isn’t an option then keep reading for the cheapest and most accessible green waste recycling centres in your area.
Consider these methods of repurposing garden waste and distributing it in your own garden or among neighbours and friends:
Leave your grass clippings on the lawn after mowing, returning vital nutrients to the soil. This can be achieved with a mulch mower - something that Crewcut operators can help with.
Put your grass clippings into the compost bin.
Rake dead leaves into the soil under trees, where they’ll decompose quickly.
After heavy pruning, select big branches for firewood and smaller branches for strong, sturdy stakes that will be suitable for beans, bulbs and next year’s tomatoes.
You can put hedge trimmings in the compost. “They’re not as good as grass, but if the hedge is cut often then the clippings will be okay for compost,” says Crewcut hedge expert Larry.
If you have a tree cut down, either chainsaw the trunk and branches into firewood-sized pieces yourself or ask the arborist to do it for you. No fireplace? You’ll find friends and relatives more than willing to come and take it off your hands. Keep the sawdust and chips as mulch for your own garden.
If you live in Kerikeri, Rotorua, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui, Manawatu, Wellington, Timaru or Otago then you’re in luck, because the Crewcut garden bag service is available in your area and one of our franchisees will personally collect and dispose of your green waste.
Elsewhere, councils are around New Zealand are working hard to reduce the amount of organic waste going into the landfill and providing or contracting out garden waste services.
Northland
Far North District Council charges $22 for 1m3 of green waste. For a list of all transfer stations and hours, see here.
Whangarei District Council has six transfer stations, charging from $1.60 for a 65L bag of garden waste, $12 for a car boot to $22.50 for a trailer-load. Locations and opening hours here. Dargaville transfer station charges $25 per m3 of green waste.
Auckland
Auckland City Council has Community Recycling centres in Devonport, Helensville, Henderson, Waiuku that accept green waste:
$6 - $8 per 50L bag of garden waste.
$26 per 1m3
Car - $27.50 per load.
4WD, wagon - $38 per load.
Ute or trailer up to 2m3 - $52 per load.
What’s more, all centres upcycle and resell household goods, with profits going to community projects. Check the link above for locations and opening hours.
Waikato
In the Waikato? Take your garden waste to Hamilton Organic and pay $9 for .5m3 and from $20 for 1m3. The Frankton operation says it is Hamilton’s only purpose-built composting facility. “We take your grass clippings, hedge trimmings, leaves and other garden waste and turn it into high-quality organic gardening products.”
Canterbury
If you live in Christchurch and you’ve got more green waste than will ft in the weekly organic bin collection, the Christchurch City Council provides EcoDrop centres in the north, south and west of the city and on Banks Peninsula. Green waste fees are $9.80 per car/4WD or $106.50 per tonne.