Wellington recycling guide: prepare cans & appliances
This quick-start guide shows Wellington households, schools and small businesses how to get the most out of Trash2Cash NZ recycling pickups. Follow the steps below to earn cash faster and keep valuable materials in the circular economy.
1. Sort & rinse aluminium cans
Aluminium is infinitely recyclable and attracts the best recycling rebates. Rinse drink cans with a quick splash of water and allow them to drain. You can lightly crush cans to save space, but keep the barcode visible where possible.
- Collect cans in strong rubbish bags, cardboard boxes, reusable supermarket bags, or council recycling crates.
- Keep glass separate — we only accept metal items during Trash2Cash pickups.
- Add a sticky note with your name if you are coordinating a school or club recycling drive.
2. Prepare household appliances for pickup
We recycle whiteware, benchtop appliances, laptops, PC cases and other metal-rich items. Before collection:
- Unplug appliances and ensure hoses or water lines are safely disconnected.
- Remove food residue from fridges, microwaves or dishwashers.
- Make sure the access path is clear; our team does the heavy lifting.
- Bundle smaller e-waste items (keyboards, cords, routers) into a labelled box.
3. Schedule a recycling collection
Use the online scheduling form to pick a date for your Wellington recycling pickup. We service the entire region — including Wellington City, Churton Park, Johnsonville, Karori, Newlands, Tawa, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua — and can usually confirm a slot within a few days.
When filling out the form, tell us roughly how many bags of cans or which appliances you have. The more detail you provide, the quicker we can route our truck and co-ordinate your trash collection.
4. Choose your payout & track balances
Every pickup is recorded in your Trash2Cash account, and we pay $1 per 100 aluminium cans. After your first collection you can add payout details in the account page.
- Deposit into a bank account or nominate a child’s savings account.
- Send funds to KiwiSaver by entering your provider and member number.
- Track pending and completed payments under “Payout history”.
Community recycling ideas for Wellington
Trash2Cash recycling pickups help community groups raise money fast. Try these ideas:
- Run a month-long “Can Drive” at school and book a pickup once your cages are full.
- Partner with local cafés or offices to collect their aluminium drink cans.
- Advertise on Neighbourly or community Facebook groups with a link to our Wellington service page.