The Ashburton District Council is praising residents for their marked improvement in recycling habits after conducting more than 45,000 audits on the district's yellow bins.

Mid Cantabrians, like thousands around the country have been adjusting to changes to the kinds of plastics that are accepted for recycling, and with only a slim level of contamination allowed at the Christchurch sorting centre, that's meant residents have had to work hard to get their sorting on point.

Auditing teams have been working their way around the district since August checking bin contents and helping to educate residents on what can and can't go in their yellow bins.

The teams have now completed four full cycles of the district and contamination levels have dramatically improved. In fact, the district averaged 2.45 per cent contamination across October, which means no truck loads of recycling were rejected at the Christchurch sorting centre.

Council Infrastructure Services Group Manager Neil McCann says the outstanding results are a reflection of residents' positive attitude and their willingness to learn and adjust.

"While I'm aware of several councils where contamination levels are still fairly high, Mid Canterbury residents have done a fantastic job getting their recycling right.

"Recycling correctly is not only good for the environment and sustainability, it's also good for ratepayers' back pocket. It costs money to have to put contaminated recycling in landfill, so the more clean truck loads that can be accepted at the sorting centre, the better.

"We want to keep costs down for our community and it's important residents are playing their part too. We are really pleased that so many people in our district care about getting this right."

Since the start of August, only hard rigid plastic grades one, two and five are recyclable and no lids of any shape or size are allowed in the yellow bin. Clean paper, cardboard, tins and aluminium cans are still recyclable.

Anyone unsure of what goes in their wheelie bins and crate is encouraged to check the updated Bin it Right handbook that was delivered to all households in the kerbside collection zone in August or see the itemised checklist on the Council's website.