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Flood-damaged household items collection

Flood Damaged CollectionWhat’s happening?

We’ve been making our way around some of the worst affected areas in the district to collect flood-damaged household items for free. There are some areas still left to collect from, and other areas we are visiting for the second time. The collection aims to assist residents with the removal of interior household items such as carpet, appliances, furniture, clothing and GIB.

Since starting our collections we’ve introduced the use of FlexiBins to residents get rid of their flood-damaged household items as quickly as possible. FlexiBins are ideal for smaller volumes of waste and they do not need specialised machinery for collection.

Please note that contractors will not be picking up deconstructed materials (such as timber, framing, steel, concrete etc.) from flood-damaged houses/buildings with the flood-damaged household items collection. Contractors will also not be collecting damaged items from commercial, farming, and horticultural activities. Residents with this sort of waste should contact their insurance company for advice on what to do with it.

What is a FlexiBin?

A FlexiBin is a tough, heavy duty, disposable bag that can be used instead of a skip bin. They are 3m3 so can still hold a skips worth of waste.

The FlexiBins are available for flood-damaged household items only and are not to be used for general waste disposal. See what can and can’t go in a FlexiBin here.

How can I order one?

If you think a FlexiBin would be suitable for flood-damaged waste on your property please fill out the form below and we will organise delivery.

What do I do once it is full?

Once you have filled your FlexiBin you will contact us to arrange collection. A leaflet with more details will be provided on delivery of the FlexiBin.

How do FlexiBins help speed up the process?

FlexiBins can be collected by any hiab truck. They are easy to pick up and multiple bags can be loaded onto one truck. It makes collecting flood-damaged waste a relatively quick process. Once you are ready for collection we aim to have someone there within 48 hours.

Tell us about your flood-damaged items

If you have flood-damaged items you would like collected, please fill in the form below, especially if:

  • You think you have missed collection in your area
  • You have flood-damaged items you would like collected
  • You want to share details about a property with limited/restricted access

*Please note that we will not enter houses to remove damaged items. Items need to be placed together outside the house or safely on the side of the road.

For more information about other cyclone-related waste, see the FAQs below the form.

Follow this link if the form fails to load. online form.

What do I need to?

Before putting items out for collection, if insured, check your insurance provider has everything they need (photos etc).

If you haven’t already, place your flood-damaged household items in a pile as close to the front of your property as possible, accessible by a truck. Keep items out of the gutter/drain so our stormwater systems are clear if we get more rain. We understand not everyone has a spot for their damaged items - if needed, we'll collect details from individuals to determine pick-up points.

Please keep silt in a separate pile. For information on silt collection click here.

If you haven’t been able to return to your home, or your items are piled on your property, please fill out the form with details so our team can plan for this.

Residents who have started, or are looking to start demolishing houses/buildings on their property should contact their insurer for advice on what steps to take. Residents who do not have insurance or are struggling to dispose of this material should contact a professional demolition company.

Getting ready for collection

What can be collected?

Flood-damaged household items including furniture, beds, carpet, curtains, clothing etc.

What can’t be collected?

Green waste, silt (refer to our silt collection FAQs), gas bottles, deconstructed materials (such as timber, framing, steel, concrete etc.), damaged items from commercial, farming, and horticultural activities (such as fencing posts, wire etc.). Residents with this sort of waste should contact their insurance company for advice on what to do with it.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council have some information on dealing with waste from Cyclone Gabrielle here.

Flood Damaged Waste FAQs

We are aiming to get to all areas impacted by the flood. Each area has different needs, so there may be slightly different approaches depending on access, as well as the volume and type of rubbish. 

Please use the form above to share your details so we can factor it into our planning for any additional visits to your area.

If you can’t place items roadside, place them outside of your house, as close to the road as possible for easy access. You can use the form above to let us know where your items are placed and we will let our contractors know. Please note, we won’t enter houses to collect items.

If you have a kerbside collection we recommend putting these in your wheelie bin, or in orange Council bags and taking them to Henderson Road (fees apply).

Due to number of areas affected, resources, traffic and weather, we are unable to provide detailed information on which day we will be in your area any further in advance.

You can let us know via this form above, and we will inform crews of the location of the waste.

We’re still arranging staff and planning pick-up routes. If you require further collection, fill out the form above and we'll be in touch. You can also keep an eye on our Facebook page.

No, just use the above form to register your details and circumstances.

We will collect flood-damaged household items, including furniture, beds, carpet, curtains, clothing etc.

We won’t collect silt, spoiled food, green waste or gas bottles. 

We will collect all household items that have been damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.

We don’t have a set timeframe for collection yet – we are still working to understand the volume of waste and our communities’ various needs.

The collection of flood-damaged items is reliant a number of variables, including weather. If your collection hasn't happened as planned, please phone Council customer services on 06 871 5000 for an update on your area's collection.

To advise an address for rural or residential silt collection please call 0800 108 838 and select '2' for Cyclone-related waste collections. You will be asked a few questions to enable our collection teams to select the right collection and disposal options.

Please note: We are asking residents to provide information on the general make-up of the silt to allow our team to select the right site for disposal. We don’t expect residents to sift through their silt, but rather to assist our teams to be informed and prepared to deal with the collection. 

Please do not put silt on the verge outside your property until you have contacted 0800 108 838 to organise collection.

There is a large amount of silt being moved onto roadsides already, which is entering drains and gutters greatly increasing the risk of flooding should there be more rain – even mild to moderate rain. Please leave silt on your property until advised otherwise.
  • Residential: Sites for the disposal of clean silt from residential sections have been identified. It will be picked up and disposed of by contractors, with the pile pick-up and disposal council-funded. All sites are only able to be accessed by contractors.
  • Rural: Regionally, sites that can take clean silt from rural properties are being managed by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. Silt needs to be gathered into a pile on the owner’s property in an area that is accessible by truck, with the pile pick-up and disposal council-funded. All sites are only able to be accessed by contractors.
  • Roads, gutters and drains: In Hastings and Napier, sites suitable for contractor access to take clean fill, from the likes of roads, stormwater drains and gutters, have been identified and are in use. All of the sites identified are only able to be accessed by contractors.

For a full list of FAQs related to silt collection, click here.

The safest place for spoiled food is in your kerbside rubbish bin for collection, or in with your general waste.

You can drop your green waste at Henderson Road Transfer Station, standard fees apply. The transfer station is open from 7.45am to 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday and 9.45am to 4.30pm on Sunday. Expect long queues.  Fees apply to dispose of general waste and green waste.

Where access allows, rural recycling sites are open for rural communities. If the green bins are getting full, let us know by phoning 06 871 5000 and we will service the site within 48 hours. Please note, the Tūtira rural recycling site is not open as it is still inaccessible.

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