Rotorua Rubbish & Recycling

Bin collection days for every Rotorua suburb, what goes in each bin, and where to drop off everything else.

In Rotorua's town zones, a green FOGO bin for food and garden waste is collected every week, and the red rubbish bin takes turns with the yellow recycling bin and blue glass crate. Here is how to find your collection day, what goes in each bin, and where to take everything else.

Have your bins out by 7.30am on collection day, or the night before. A few streets differ from the rest of their suburb, so check your exact address with the council’s lookup.

Collection dayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday

Tap your suburb to see its days.

Which bin does it go in?

Green FOGO binFood and garden · every week

Yes

  • Fruit and vegetable scraps
  • Bread, pasta, rice and dairy
  • Meat and fish scraps and bones
  • Egg, nut and coconut shells
  • Coffee grounds and loose tea leaves
  • Lawn clippings, leaves and weeds
  • Twigs and branches up to 5cm thick
  • Newspaper to wrap food or line the bin

No

  • Bin liners of any kind, even compostable
  • Plastic of any kind
  • Paper towels, cardboard and food containers
  • Compostable packaging and coffee cups
  • Tea bags, nappies and cooking oil
  • Soil, ash, treated wood and building waste
  • Flax, palm fronds and cabbage tree leaves

Zones A and B and some Zone C homes only. Started 1 October 2026.

Red binRubbish · every 2 weeks

Yes

  • General household rubbish
  • Plastic lids
  • Plastics with no number

No

  • Hot ash
  • Lithium and car batteries
  • Hazardous waste, chemicals and paint
  • Gas bottles and flammable items
  • Wood, timber and building waste

Every week in Zones D and E. The lid must close.

Yellow binRecycling · every 2 weeks

Yes

  • Plastic bottles, trays and containers marked 1, 2 and 5
  • Paper and cardboard, including pizza boxes
  • Food and drink tins and cans

No

  • Plastic lids (they go in the red bin)
  • Plastics 3, 4, 6, 7 or unnumbered
  • Soft plastics and polystyrene
  • Coffee cups and drink cartons
  • Dirty or oily paper and cardboard
  • Nappies and black plant pots

Empty, wash and take lids off.

Glass crateGlass · every 2 weeks

Yes

  • Glass bottles and jars, lids off

No

  • Anything other than glass bottles and jars

Goes out with the yellow bin.

Public holidays

There is no kerbside collection on Good Friday or Christmas Day. All other public holidays are normal collection days.

Drop-off points

Rotorua Recycling Centre

Te Ngae Road, Victoria, Rotorua

Mon to Sat 7.30am to 4.30pm, Sun and public holidays 9.30am to 4.30pm. Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday.

Free recycling and glassFree household batteries and some e-wasteTVs, computers and whiteware (charged)Fridges and freezers (charged)Directions

Rotorua South Resource Recovery Park (landfill)

210 State Highway 30, Horohoro

Mon to Sat 7.30am to 4.30pm, Sun and public holidays 9.30am to 4.30pm. Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday.

Rubbish (charged)Green and wood waste (charged)Small amounts of household hazardous wasteCar batteriesConcreteFridges and freezersDirections

Okere Falls Transfer Station

15 Okere Road, Okere Falls

Thu and Sun 8.30am to 12pm. Red bag rubbish and recycling drop-off open 24 hours.

Household rubbishRecyclingScrap metalGreen wasteDirections

Tarawera Transfer Station

Tarawera Road, between Green Lake and the Buried Village

Thu and Sun 1pm to 4.30pm. Red bag rubbish and recycling drop-off open 24 hours.

Household rubbishRecyclingScrap metalGreen wasteDirections

Mamaku Transfer Station

14 Kaponga Street, Mamaku

Wed and Sat 8.30am to 11.30am

Household rubbishRecyclingScrap metalGreen wasteDirections

Reporoa Transfer Station

Corner of Birch and Massey Roads, Reporoa

Wed and Sat 1pm to 4.30pm

Household rubbishRecyclingScrap metalGreen wasteDirections

Every suburb’s collection day

SuburbCollection dayCalendar
Fairy SpringMonday or Thursday (depends on street)Week 1 or 2 (depends on street)
Fenton ParkWednesdayWeek 2
FordlandsTuesdayWeek 1
GlenholmeWednesdayWeek 1 or 2 (depends on street)
HamuranaTuesdayWeek 1 or 2 (depends on street)
Hannahs BayFridayWeek 2
HillcrestTuesdayWeek 2
Holdens BayFridayWeek 2
HorohoroFridayWeek 2
KapengaFridayWeek 2
Kawaha PointThursdayWeek 2
KoutuThursdayWeek 2
Lake OkarekaMondayWeek 2
Lake ŌkatainaMondayWeek 1
Lake RotomāMondayWeek 1
LynmoreFridayWeek 1
MamakuWednesdayWeek 2
MangakakahiMondayWeek 1 or 2 (depends on street)
Matipo HeightsFriday or Tuesday (depends on street)Week 1 or 2 (depends on street)
Mount TaraweraTuesdayWeek 2
MoureaMondayWeek 1
NgakuruFriday or Wednesday (depends on street)Week 1 or 2 (depends on street)
NgapunaFriday or Wednesday (depends on street)Week 2
NgongotahāWednesday or Thursday (depends on street)Week 1 or 2 (depends on street)
Ngongotahā ValleyWednesday or Friday (depends on street)Week 2
OhinemutuThursdayWeek 2
Okere FallsMondayWeek 1
ŌwhataFridayWeek 1
PomareTuesdayWeek 1 or 2 (depends on street)
PukehangiMondayWeek 2
ReporoaThursdayWeek 1 or 2 (depends on street)
RerewhakaaituTuesdayWeek 2
RotoruaWednesdayWeek 1
Selwyn HeightsMondayWeek 1
SpringfieldTuesday or Friday (depends on street)Week 2
SunnybrookTuesdayWeek 1
TihiotongaFridayWeek 2
TikitereMonday or Friday (depends on street)Week 1 or 2 (depends on street)
TumunuiTuesdayWeek 2
UtuhinaTuesdayWeek 1
VictoriaWednesdayWeek 1 or 2 (depends on street)
Waikite ValleyWednesdayWeek 1
WaiotapuWednesday or Thursday (depends on street)Week 1 or 2 (depends on street)
Western HeightsMondayWeek 1
WhakarewarewaFriday or Wednesday (depends on street)Week 2

Good to know

My bin wasn't collected. What now?

If your bin hasn't been collected by the end of the day, call Customer Solutions on 07 348 4199.

What does the FOGO bin cost?

It is a targeted rate of $27.52 a year for the 80 litre bin, and you can't opt out. No kitchen caddy is supplied.

What if I'm in Zone F?

Zone F has no kerbside collection. Some lakes properties use rubbish bags instead of bins.

My bins are always full. Can I get more?

Overfilled bins and extra items beside them are not collected. You can upgrade to a bigger rubbish bin or get extra bins at a cost through Smart Environmental. An extra recycling bin is $383.16 a year and an extra glass crate $49.81 a year.

Bin rules and drop-off points from the Rotorua Lakes Council website. Collection areas from Rotorua Lakes Council mapping data. Checked 22 October 2026.