Junk mail no joke for some

With the election just days away, political mail has been filling up people’s letterboxes - leaving some residents fuming.

Leaflets, newsletters and flyers have been placed in mailboxes with signs such as ’’addressed mail only’’, ‘‘no circulars’’, ‘‘no junk mail’’ or words of similar effect.

Some residents have even received letters specifically addressed to them from political parties.

Grey Lynn resident Briar Wyatt has been trying to lead a zero waste lifestyle.

Her letterbox has two stickers one is an Ecomailbox sticker with ‘‘no advertising mail’’ and another with ’’no circulars’’ but that hadn’t stopped the political parties’ mail.

She’s received election material from National, Labour and New Zealand First.

‘‘In the last couple of weeks, we’ve pretty much been inundated with mail everyday.’’

Wyatt felt that her flat’s desire to be environmentally conscious was explicit and it was cheeky of parties to ignore that, she said.

‘‘It’s also frustrating to see this much waste produced through electoral advertising because it buys into the mindset of using something once and then throwing it away,’’ Wyatt said.

Auckland Council’s solid waste bylaw states all letterboxes can receive election material two months before the election until the day before polling day. This aligns with the Electoral Act.

Consumer New Zealand adviser Maggie Edwards said while she understood how election material could be seen as junk mail to some people, political information was essential for people.

‘‘The importance of voting can’t be underestimated,’’ Edwards said.

On community website Neighbourly, Meadowbank resident Prue Behan said her children did a paper run and had been given specific instructions to deliver election mail to every letterbox.

‘‘They are under contract to deliver what they are told to and by a certain day.’’

Remuera resident Allie Frater said her flat has a ‘‘no junk mail’’ sign on their letterbox but had received ‘‘so much’’ election material over the last month.

‘‘It annoys the heck out of me. With all the printed information also available online it’s a reckless misuse of resources.’’