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Where does my recycling go?

Find out where your recycling goes and what happens to it at the processing plant.

Where recycling goes

Glass

Glass is sent to VISY in Tāmaki Makaurau /Auckland, where it is further sorted for colour, and re-processed into new glass bottles and jars.
Cans and Tins

Rinsed cans and tins from your yellow-lid recycling bin have a much shorter journey: they go to metal recyclers Macaulay Metals in Seaview, Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai / Lower Hutt.
Paper & Cardboard

Paper and cardboard goes to Oji Fibre in Seaview, where the team sorts each item before identifying markets to maximise their recycling potential.
Plastics (HDPE 2)

Naturally coloured high-density polyethylene (HDPE 2) – like 'clear' milk bottles and detergent containers – go to Aotearoa NZ Made in Te Papaioea / Palmerston North, where they’re turned into re-processed pellets. The raw material is then turned into items such as wheelie bins.
Plastics (PP5)

Polypropylene (PP5) – which is used to make a wide variety of products, from sports gear to medical equipment – is sent to Astron Sustainability in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, where it is taken through extensive processing to turn it into recycled resin.
Contaminated & Unsuitable items

Sadly, these all go to landfill! Please make sure that your recycling is clean, with no food scraps, before putting it into your yellow-lid recycling bin. If you’re unsure whether an item should go into your recycling bin or your rubbish bin, look it up via the ‘What goes in the bin’ search bar.