Recycling Week is almost here: It’s time to look beyond the bin
Recycling Week media release: 30th September 2026
October has arrived, which means Recycling Week 2026 is just around the corner. From 19th to 25th October, businesses, schools, and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand will come together to look at what they throw away. More importantly, what they could stop throwing away in the first place.
This year's theme is "Identifying Opportunities," and is a reminder that recycling is only a part of the solution. Guided by the waste hierarchy, Recycling Week assists participants in uncovering practical opportunities to prevent waste, use resources more efficiently, and foster lasting behaviour change.
This can mean buying less, choosing products with less packaging, repairing something instead of replacing it, reusing what is already available, making sure that recyclables are getting recycled, or taking a closer look at what's ending up in the rubbish bin.
"Recycling Week gives people a reason to take a moment and look at their everyday waste differently," says Jonny O'Rourke, General Manager – Sales and Sustainability at Reclaim.
"You don't need to completely overhaul the way you operate to make a difference. Start by looking at one waste stream, one process, or one habit and ask: can we avoid or reduce this, reuse it, or keep it in circulation for longer? There are opportunities everywhere once you start looking for them."
Find out more about NZ Recycling Week, including how to register your organisation for free, and access all resources.
Start with your local recycling rules
One of the simplest ways to make a difference is to check what your local council accepts for recycling.
Some recycling rules are not identical across New Zealand. What can go into a kerbside recycling bin can vary depending on your council or region, so what is accepted in one part of the country may not be accepted in another.
Before putting something in your recycling bin, check your local council's current guidance. Getting it right helps reduce contamination and ensures recyclable materials have the best chance of being recovered.
And remember, there is so much more that you can do before you use your recycling bin. Before throwing something away, take a moment and ask:
- Can I avoid buying this?
- Can I reduce the amount I use?
- Can I reuse it?
- Can I repair it?
- If I can't do any of those, can it be recycled/composted?
These simple questions are at the heart of Recycling Week.
Your Recycling Week challenge
With just over two weeks to go, Reclaim is challenging Kiwis to identify one opportunity to reduce waste even before Recycling Week begins.
It could be something as simple as:
- Replacing a disposable item with a reusable alternative.
- Repairing something instead of replacing it.
- Setting up a better system for collecting food scraps.
- Looking at what's going into your workplace rubbish bins.
- Reducing unnecessary packaging when purchasing supplies.
- Finding a way to reuse materials that would normally be thrown away.
- Checking your local recycling rules and making sure your household or workplace knows what belongs in the recycling bin.
For businesses and organisations, the opportunity could be bigger. A waste audit, bin review, or conversations with your team can reveal materials that are being unnecessarily sent to landfill. This could lead to creating recycling systems that could work better.
Look beyond the bin
Recycling Week isn’t just about putting the right thing in the right bin. It’s about taking a closer look at what we use, what we throw away, and where there are opportunities to do things differently.
That message will be visible across the country, with more than 50 monuments and landmarks set to light up green during Recycling Week.
View the full list of participating landmarks and supporters of Recycling Week.
Organisations and communities will also be turning that thinking into action, with activities for the public. Other organisations have also committed to activities for their teams, such as clean-up days, recycling education sessions, and zero-waste morning teas.
The Rethink Sessions will return in 2026 with a new format, combining pre-recorded conversations with people working across waste minimisation, recycling and sustainability, followed by live Q&A sessions.
With over 600 hundreds of organisations already registered and committing to take part, there is still time to join them, plan an activity and identify an opportunity to reduce waste in your workplace, school, community or organisation.
Recycling Week 2026 runs from 19th to 25th October. Registration is free and remains open throughout the week.
Find out more about NZ Recycling Week, including how to register your organisation for free, and access all resources.