The Marlborough District Council provides a weekly kerbside refuse collection service in Blenheim and Picton, and operates waste transfer stations at seven locations throughout Marlborough. Waste collected by kerbside collection and at the transfer stations is transported to the Bluegums regional landfill south of Blenheim on Taylor Pass Road. A hazardous waste collection facility is provided at the Blenheim transfer station.
Kerbside Rubbish Collections
In Blenheim, kerbside pickups of Council blue rubbish bags are carried out Monday to Friday. To check what day your rubbish will be collected click on the map below.
Map of Kerbside Collection Days Blenheim (723 kb)
In Picton, kerbside pickups of Counci blue rubbish bags are carried out on Tuesdays.
Refuse Bags
In areas where Council provides a kerbside refuse collection, 52 refuse bags (rubbish bags) are made available. Council sends out in July each year, a voucher to every property that qualifies for kerbside collection. These can then be exchanged for official bags at specified supermarkets. Additional bags can be purchased at the council offices (price details can be found in the FEES section). When purchasing a dwelling, or for new tenants moving into a rental property, there should be enough bags left for the new occupant, ie; one bag per week until the end of July. Council cannot supply bags free if no bags, or an incorrect number of bags are left.
Bluegums Landfill
Increased environmental awareness has prompted the progressive closure of the old-fashioned rubbish dumps used for the disposal of waste, and their replacement with landfills designed to control the adverse environmental effects of waste disposal. In particular, landfills must be designed to control the leachate generated by stored waste and to dispose of it in a manner that does not pollute surface and underground water sources. This is very important in Marlborough, where much of the water supply, for human and animal consumption and for irrigation, is drawn from underground water sources.
The Bluegums landfill has been engineered to high standards and is expected to service the district for the next 30 years.
Transfer Stations
Seven transfer stations are operating in Marlborough. Their use for the collection of waste is more demanding, in both management and financial terms, than the former system of dumps - for example, hazardous waste is identified and isolated at transfer stations. Refuse collected at transfer stations is transported to the regional landfill. When visiting a transfer station with your refuse please bring your own shovel, rake or broom for unloading the rubbish off your trailer.
Marlborough Sounds Coin Skips
24 hour coin-operated ($2.00 for two standard rubbish bags) skips are located at: Rai Valley Refuse Transfer Station, Portage, Ohingaroa Hill (The Quarry) and The Grove.
Waste Minimisation & Recycling
Council operates a recycling centre behind the Blue Door in Charles Street, Blenheim. A wide range of recyclable materials can be dropped off there. For more information click on the RECYCLING UPDATE.
In addition to education and training programmes, it has provided direct support and assistance in the establishment of a "Green Fingers" composting operation and has also provided administrative support to a "Sustainable Viticulture Programme" initiated with a view to encouraging vineyard owners to use organic mulches that will reduce the need to use sprays and assist in water retention.
Waste Strategy & Plan 2005-2010
This is Council's proposed direction for waste management in Marlborough.
Download Waste Strategy & Plan 2005-2010 (1.1 mb)
Download RECYCLING UPDATE PDF (23 kb)
Effluent Dump Locations (camper-vans, caravans, motor homes, boats, etc.)
Locations where recreation road vehicles can empty their effluent holding tanks and where boats can pump waste are described in the UTILITIES section under Sewerage - Systems.
Caravan Dump Sites
Ministry for the Environment
