Four recycling strikes and you're out for Hauraki residents' bins

<p>Hauraki residents will lose their recycling bins if they're not diligent as a new programme aimed to decrease contamination rates kicks off on September 1.</p> <p>Contamination levels across the district have risen to approximately 27%, a sharp rise from a 3% rate pre-Covid. At rates greater than 10%, group manager service delivery, Adrian de Laborde, said the entire truckload can become un-recyclable.</p> <p>The first infringement of incorrect items sees a tag issued along with an education booklet as to what is and isn’t recyclable, de Laborde said.</p> <p>Stages two and three come with tags along with formal and final warning letters respectively. The fourth and final stage has council confiscate the bin for six to 12 months, with clear recycling bags issued to the resident and only returned when "the required number of correct collections has been achieved".