Ash Disposal - Bucket, Bag it and Bin it

The Alexandra and Cromwell transfer stations still accept ash; however, the way ash is accepted and disposed of has now changed. The transfer stations will accept ash as general waste, provided it is cold and bagged. The ash skip bin for free disposal has been removed due to the cost to dispose of ash at the landfill.

We recommend that residents:

• Bucket, Bag it, and Bin it - Allow the ash to cool for at least five days, as recommended by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Winter fire safety | Fire and Emergency New Zealand). Once the ash has been cooled, it is emptied it into a sealed bag (to prevent dust) and placed in the red kerbside bin or taken to the transfer station to be disposed of as general waste.

• Ash that is free from contaminants, such as treated timber, can be composted at home.

Landfill costs, waste levy, and emissions costs (ETS) are increasing significantly every year and cannot continue to be covered by Council. Council still provides various partially funded services at the transfer stations to reduce costs for recycling initiatives, such as mixed recycling and glass drop-offs, e-waste and battery recycling, and the child car seat recycling scheme.