A lot of people actually try to do the right thing when a microwave dies.
The new one goes on the bench.
Now you’re standing there with the old one thinking:
Where the hell does this thing go?
You look at the bins outside.
Red bin for rubbish.
Yellow bin for recycling.
And a lot of people think:
Maybe it goes in the recycling.
Because a microwave looks like something that should be recyclable.
It’s metal.
There’s glass in it.
Bits of plastic.
Surely that belongs in recycling, right?
That’s where the confusion starts.
The Yellow Bin Turns Into the “Chuck It In There” Bin
If you look inside a lot of recycling bins around Christchurch you’ll see the same thing.
Stuff that clearly isn’t packaging.
Broken toys.
Old electronics.
Random bits of metal.
Kitchen appliances.
The yellow bin slowly becomes the place people throw things when they don’t know where it actually belongs.
And I know that because I get called to empty them when the council refuses to touch them.
If the recycling bin is full of the wrong stuff, the truck won’t collect it.
They just leave it sitting there.
Now the homeowner is stuck with a bin full of rubbish that no one is going to empty.
That’s usually when someone calls us to come and clear the whole mess out.
People Are Actually Trying to Recycle
Most of the time people aren’t trying to be idiots.
They’re trying to recycle.
A microwave looks recyclable.
Metal case.
Glass plate.
Plastic bits.
It seems logical that it should go in the recycling bin.
The problem is the yellow bin system isn’t built for appliances.
It’s designed for packaging.
Things that come into the house with groceries.
Boxes.
Containers.
Bottles.
Once appliances start turning up in there, the recycling load gets contaminated.
That’s when the bin gets rejected.
What Makes Microwaves Different
A microwave isn’t one simple material.
It’s a whole mix of stuff packed into one appliance.
Metal casing.
Electronic components.
Plastic panels.
Wiring.
Glass turntable.
That sort of thing needs to be handled differently from packaging waste.
So even though a microwave can be recycled, it doesn’t belong in the kerbside recycling bin.
Where Old Microwaves Usually Sit
Once people realise the recycling bin isn’t the answer, the microwave usually just ends up sitting somewhere.
On a shelf.
In a corner.
Beside other old appliances.
You see this all the time in houses around Christchurch.
The microwave dies.
The new one replaces it.
The old one just gets moved out of the way.
Then it sits there until someone finally decides to deal with it.
The Right Way Microwaves Get Recycled
The funny thing is microwaves can actually be recycled.
They just need to go through the right facilities.
When we collect them, they get taken to approved facilities where appliances and scrap metal are processed properly.
So the metal parts can be recovered and the rest handled the right way.
That’s very different from throwing one into a yellow recycling bin.
Getting Rid of a Microwave in Christchurch
If you’ve got an old microwave sitting around and you’re not sure what to do with it, the easiest option is usually just getting it removed properly.
We collect these across Christchurch all the time.
Microwaves.
Kettles.
Toasters.
Air fryers.
Coffee machines.
Most of the time it’s a few small appliances sitting around the house that people finally want gone.
Instead of trying to figure out which bin they belong in, everything can simply be removed in one go.
You can organise that through Small Appliance Removal Christchurch.
How to Book Appliance Removal
Booking is simple.
1. Go to Small Appliance Removal Christchurch
2. Select Larger Bench Appliances
3. Choose how many appliances you want removed
4. Pick your pickup day
5. Complete checkout online
Once the order is placed, the appliances just need to be ready for collection.
No trying to force appliances into recycling bins.
No guessing which bin they belong in.
Just get them removed properly.
But if you need to get rid of something bigger have a look here.
Microwave Recycling Christchurch – Common Questions
Can you recycle a microwave in Christchurch?
Yes — but not through the yellow recycling bin.
Microwaves are electrical appliances, so they need to go through proper recycling or disposal facilities.
When we collect them they are taken to approved facilities where the metal and other materials are processed correctly.
Can a microwave go in the yellow recycling bin in Christchurch?
No.
The yellow recycling bin is only for packaging like cardboard, plastic containers, bottles and cans.
Electrical appliances like microwaves don’t belong in that system.
Why do people try to put microwaves in recycling bins?
Most of the time people are actually trying to do the right thing.
Because microwaves contain metal and glass, people assume they should be recyclable through the kerbside system.
But that system is only designed for packaging materials.
What should you do with a broken microwave?
Most people either take it to a transfer station or include it in a household rubbish pickup.
Microwaves are commonly removed along with other small appliances.
What other appliances can be removed with a microwave?
Small kitchen appliances are often removed together.
Things like:
• kettles
• toasters
• air fryers
• coffee machines
• blenders
• sandwich presses
Once a few appliances pile up it usually makes sense to remove them all at once.
How do you get rid of a microwave in Christchurch?
You can book removal through Small Appliance Removal Christchurch.
Select Larger Bench Appliances, choose how many appliances you want removed, pick your pickup day and complete checkout online.
