The Waste Advisory Group yesterday approved the system — which meant offenders who received three red tags in one calendar year would lose their bin.
A report prepared for the meeting showed the contamination rate in recycling bins for the three years to 2022-23 was about 20%.
In 2023-24 alone, almost $340,000 was spent redirecting waste from recycling bins to landfill.
Under the new system, offenders will have their recycling service suspended until they sign and return a reinstatement form.
Southland District Council strategic manager water and waste Grant Isaacs said his council had not been able to enforce a "three-strikes" system in the past but had sent letters which proved effective.
"Once they get that education and know what’s happening, they get their act together."
Just one bin of waste could contaminate an entire load of recycling, forcing it to be diverted to landfill.
"If one person gets it wrong then it costs the rest of us."
The new system will begin on March 31.
It will only be rolled out in Invercargill and Southland. Gore misses out as it does not currently have a recycling service.
Other councils which have adopted similar approaches included the Dunedin City Council, the Tauranga City Council and Auckland Council.
An update on the number of bins inspected and how people performed will be provided at a Waste Advisory Group meeting in April.
— Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy Reporter
— LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
