How Kiwis are recycling wrong - and how many are punished for it
New figures show how often New Zealanders put the wrong things in the recycling bin, and how many face penalties for it.
New figures show how often New Zealanders put the wrong things in the recycling bin, and how many face penalties for it.

How Kiwis are recycling wrong - and how many are punished for it
New figures show how often New Zealanders put the wrong things in the recycling bin, and how many face penalties for it.
Contamination remains the biggest problem for councils, with soft plastics, food waste and non-recyclable containers repeatedly turning up in kerbside collections.
A contaminated load can be diverted to landfill entirely, undoing the effort of everyone else on the street.
Councils use a mix of bin tagging, warnings and in some cases charges, though enforcement varies considerably around the country.

Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced a national service dog ID card, saying the standardised card should reduce confusion when certified disability assistance dog teams access public places, businesses and public transport.

Funding will create safe backup populations for Hamilton's frog and the white-bellied skink, two native species found nowhere else in the world and now at serious risk of extinction.

Education Minister Erica Stanford says the School Onsite Training Programme will expand to 704 places a year from 2028, part of a $21.7 million five-year investment aimed at producing more classroom-ready teachers.