Rubbish & Recycling Collection

Rubbish is collected every week. Your blue glass recycling bin and yellow mixed recycling bin are collected on alternate weeks.   

Head to reminders.saveourstuff.co.nz and type in your address to find out what your collection day is  and which bins to put out when.  

You can also download and print a hard copy of the collection calendar below: 

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Your rubbish and recycling need to be out on the kerb (or your designated collection point) before 7.00am on your rubbish day. 

NOTE: Please be sure to bring your bin back in on the same day after your rubbish has been collected. Collection points, footpaths, and road reserves, are only for the temporary placement of rubbish and recycling for collection.

Your bins should only be put out on the kerb (or your designated collection point) the night before or on the morning of your collection day before 7.00am.

Placing your bins out correctly for collection and bringing them back in on the same day helps keep the footpaths clear and safe. We want to keep our streets safe, attractive and accessible for everyone to enjoy.

On collection day, please take a minute to put your bins out properly.  It helps keep the footpaths clear, safe and looking tidy.  It also helps the drivers get around their routes quicker. 

Top tips for presenting your bin:

• On kerbside, close to the road. 

• Give your bins space, they should be at least 50cm apart. 

• Bins should be facing out, lids closed flat. 

• 1 metre away from solid objects. 

• Bins should not weigh more than 70kgs

We provide free Wheelie Bin Clips to Queenstown Lakes District residents to help prevent  rubbish and recycling pollution if a bin is blown over.  The clips self-release when the bin is tipped into the  truck. 

The free clips can be collected at Council offices on Gorge Road or Shotover Street (Queenstown) or Ardmore Street (Wānaka).

There are no kerbside collections on Good Friday, ANZAC Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Kerbside collections scheduled for those days will take place on the following day. Please put your bin out by 7.00am as collections start early.

Collections for the rest of the week may also be affected. Check the timetable below for a full list of changes due to public holidays.

Holiday Collection Timetable 2025/26 

Kerbside collection days are not affected by any other public holidays.

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• Transfer Stations: Closed on Christmas Day, New Years Day, Good Friday and the morning of ANZAC day (until 1.00pm).

• Wakatipu Recycling Centre (including public drop off): Closed on Christmas Day, New Years Day, Good Friday and the morning of ANZAC day (until 1.00pm).

It can be challenging for some Multi-unit developments (MUD) to store three bins per household.  

Council and Waste Management  will work with new MUD's to determine the best option for kerbside collections. 

If it is not possible for the Council service to meet your needs, then the whole multi-unit development may opt out of the council service and engage a commercial waste provider.  To opt out, every property in the MUD must complete the following form: 

Yes, you can get extra recycling bins for kerbside collections.

Phone 0800 22 24 31 and ask for an “enhanced service” for Queenstown Lakes.

There will be a charge involved.

If your bin has been damaged or is broken beyond repair, contact the council.

To assess your request, we require the following details:

• Your name, phone number and address

• Which bin has been damaged or broken (red rubbish, yellow mixed recycling, or blue glass bin).

If possible, also provide:

• The bin serial number (white number on the side of your bin)

• A photo of your damaged bin

Please note: we don’t replace bins with minor damage or those that are simply dirty, as cleaning is the owner’s responsibility.

If your bin is missing, check with your neighbours first, as it may have been taken by mistake.

If it’s genuinely gone, contact the council.

To assess your request, we require the following details:

• Your name, phone number and address.

• Which bin is missing (red rubbish, yellow mixed recycling, or blue glass bin).

If you find your bin after reporting it missing, please let us know.

Collections commence at 7.00am and can run into the evening. 

If you think your bin may not have been collected:

Check first if you have presented the correct bin for collection before 7.00am (e.g. glass bin on a glass week). Check “Which bin goes out when?” for your collection day.

If you are sure that you have presented the right bin correctly, and your bin hasn’t been collected, contact the council.

To assess your request, we require the following details:

• Your name, phone number and address

• Which bin was not emptied (red rubbish, yellow mixed recycling or blue glass bin)

A recollection will be scheduled.

Your bin may have been tagged/stickered and not collected for the following reasons:

• Overflowing bin

• Bin not placed correctly 

• Bin too heavy (more than 70kgs)

• Not a current council bin

Contaminated recycling or contains hazardous items like batteries, vapes, gas bottles or canisters, hot ashes

Your bin will not be recollected. The above will need to be corrected to make sure we can collect your bin the following week.

For reminder on bin presentation, check out “Bin presentation is important”. And our How We Recycle webpage, for a reminder of what goes in which bin. 

For those people in the community that may require assistance there is an on property service available.    This is for those who due to disability, impairment or frailty, have difficulty getting their wheelie bins to the kerbside. 

If you would like to be considered for this service please complete the form below and return to services@qldc.govt.nz or drop it into one of the Council offices. 

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide evidence of your situation, and a site visit will be conducted to better understand your needs.

There are a number of streets around the district that Waste Management have advised can not be serviced safely by the trucks. These properties have alternative collection points.