Company offering new wheelie bin service

A Dunedin rubbish skip company is expanding to wheelie bins despite the city council launching its own service this year.

The council’s new kerbside collection service, taking effect on July 1, will introduce a 140-litre food scraps and garden waste wheelie bin and replace plastic rubbish bags with a 140-litre bin.

The option of a fortnightly 240-litre garden waste bin could be added for an additional charge.

But that has not stopped locally owned Save Money Skips from launching subsidiary Otago Wheelie Bins.

Owner Shane Maaka believed the business could be a success because the council bins would not be large enough for many customers.

Otago Wheelie Bins workers (back, from left) Harrison Maaka, Rodney Skilton, Te Moeau, owner Shane Maaka, Mason Gough, 7, with his father Dave Gough, (front, from left) Tyrone Ratahi, Reilly Maaka and Moira Walmsley at the Save Money Skips yard. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON

He said most wheelie bin customers had a 240-litre bin that was emptied weekly, whereas the council would provide a 140-litre bin emptied fortnightly.

"That’s not really going to work if the council scheme comes in and then you’ve got three times the waste left over after you’ve filled the council’s bin."

His company would offer more flexibility than competitors, which he said offered only one-year contracts.