The Athenree recycling and greenwaste centre will reduce its opening hours to only one day a week.

This weekend will be the last time the centre is open on a Saturday (April 5). It will then be open on Sundays only. The Sunday opening hours, 9am to 4pm, would remain, Western Bay of Plenty District Council said in a statement.

Since kerbside recycling bins were introduced in July 2021, the number of vehicles visiting the recycling centre has fallen from 1700 a month to fewer than 500. Greenwaste visits have remained steady at an average of 150 vehicles a month.

“It’s great to see how the kerbside service is positively impacting our community’s waste management habits. It has made recycling more convenient than ever, reducing the need for drop-off visits at the centre,” district council waste and resource recovery infrastructure lead Tony Wilson said.

“As we continue to expand our kerbside collection service across the rohe (district), we expect this trend to continue, with fewer people needing to visit recycling centres. This will help streamline our services and ensure we’re meeting the evolving needs of our community.”

If residents need to dispose of recycling outside the Athenree centre’s operating hours, the Waihī Refuse Transfer Station is a short drive away and is open 10am to 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday.