A free bin-swap period that started on Saturday runs until the end of April.
It applies to red-lidded and green-lidded bins brought in by the Dunedin City Council in July last year when it upgraded kerbside collection services.
However, the council’s options are more limited than some people might like.
There is no larger size of red-lidded bin for general rubbish than the standard-issue 140-litre bin.
People can downsize to an 80-litre bin if that is more suitable.
They can scale up or down between the 140-litre and 25-litre green-lidded bins for food scraps and garden waste.
Yellow-lidded bins for mixed recycling have been provided in two sizes — 240 litres and 80 litres — but they were introduced in 2011 and a charge for swapping them continues to apply.
A city council spokesman said most households were used to the new system after the changes brought in last year and many people seemed to be comfortable it suited their needs.
"We have already swapped some green-lidded bins to more suitable sizes for some people, but overall we’re extremely pleased with how the new system is working and the results being delivered for our city," he said.
"We’re also aware of comments suggesting a larger red bin, or a weekly collection service, is needed.
"That would come at increased cost for everyone, and we’re confident the new system caters well for most households by diverting more waste from landfill and reducing the need for rubbish disposal via red bins.
"Our focus is very much on reducing unnecessary waste to landfill."
When all recyclable material, food scraps and garden waste were placed in the correct bins, the 140-litre red-lidded bin for rubbish collected fortnightly was more than adequate for most households, the council spokesman said.
"There are also other options available for people who find the new system does not suit their needs, including private wheelie bins."
Anyone with a medical condition who unavoidably produced more medical waste than would fit in a 140-litre red-lidded bin collected fortnightly could apply for an additional bin at no charge.
People could request an additional large green-lidded bin for $88 a year, or an additional yellow-lidded bin for $48 a year.
Bin sizes cannot be swapped more than once a year.
The council also highlighted last month there had been an increase in the wrong items being put in yellow-lidded bins.
An increase in contamination tended to happen during the Christmas holiday period and there was then improvement when people returned to work or school, the spokesman said.
The Otago Daily Times asked about enforcement.
"Our contractor employs two spot-checkers who check bins at the kerbside prior to collection, in different parts of the city at different times, and collection trucks have cameras that monitor bin contents as they are emptied."
