Mobile recycling trailers will be hitting rural roads around the western Bay of Plenty from today.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council's new mobile recycling service will visit BP Pongakawa, Omanawa Hall and Te Ranga School 9am-1pm Saturdays on a fortnightly rotation from October 1.

The new mobile recycling service is part of council's commitment to make recycling more accessible for rural residents of the Western Bay who can't use council's kerbside recycling, and who live a long drive away from the nearest recycling centre.

The service was trialled in July-August with the two new recycling trailers visiting Pongakawa, Omanawa, Te Ranga and Whakamarama communities. Residents were encouraged to bring in their recycling and share their thoughts on how the new service should run.

Feedback shows people prefer a Saturday morning drop-off time, on a fortnightly roster, and at the same locations. The only site that hasn't been included is Whakamarama due to most of the community recently being added to the kerbside service.

WBOPDC resource recovery and waste team leader Ilze Kruis received positive feedback on the service.

'People said, ‘Please continue the service', ‘we just love the service', ‘this service covers everything I need' and ‘brilliant set up – keep this going'.

'People from each community gave us valuable feedback that helped shape the mobile recycling roster going forward. This service is for them and they're really keen – it's great to see.”

Like with any recycling service, contamination can be a problem, so Ilze says: 'Please rinse your recyclables, flatten your cardboard, and remove lids. And if you're not sure, you can ask our council team member who will be with the trailers at all times.”

The trailers are also limited in capacity, so only bring in as much recycling as would fit in a kerbside recycling service – a 240L yellow lid wheelie bin and 45L glass crate. Large stored up amounts of glass still need to be taken to recycling centres.

The first month of the service will roll out October 1 from 9am-1pm at Omanawa Hall and BP Pongakawa; October 8 from 9am-1pm at Te Ranga School; October 15 from 9am-1pm at Omanawa Hall and BP Pongakawa; and October 22 from 9am-1pm at Te Ranga School.

The mobile recycling trailers can take clean glass beverage and food jars, plastics - numbers 1, 2, 5 only - lids removed, tins and aluminium drink cans; and flattened cardboard and paper.

The mobile recycling trailers are funded via the Waste Minimisation Fund with support from the Glass Packaging Forum.

For key dates, visit: westernbay.govt.nz/mobilerecycling. Or download the free Antenno app from Google Play or the App Store.