Council staff clean up rubbish
Carrington Walkway is a lot cleaner this week.
This is because staff from the Stratford District Council and Taranaki Regional Council were on a mission to clean up the rubbish left in public recreation areas as part of Keep New Zealand Beautiful’s Clean-up Week.
An abundance of litter was found on the Carrington Walkway. Altogether the staff collected 83kg of rubbish and 7kg of recycling.
The findings included a fishing rod, deckchair, road cone, cricket bat, part of a garage door, a dead calf and a great deal of paper and plastic. Mattresses have also featured in previous clean-ups, said Waste Minimisation Officer, Nadine Ord.
‘‘The event is not just about cleaning up rubbish, it’s an opportunity for participants to build and strengthen community spirit, and demonstrate their pride in where they live and work,’’ she said.
The amount of litter found was an improvement on a council clean-up in 2014 when an estimated 135kg of rubbish plus six bags of recycling was collected, however it is still disappointing that it was there in the first place, said Ord.
She said Taranaki residents should call 0800 736 222 immediately if they found dumped rubbish that might pollute a waterway. Otherwise, fill out the online form at www.trc.govt.nz//reportdumped-rubbish.
For more details on the Keep New Zealand Beautiful charitable trust, and how you can help keep your community clean, safe and beautiful, go to its Facebook page or www.knzb.org.nz. Energy, enthusiasm and a bit of elbow grease – that’s all it takes to make a big difference to your own little part of New Zealand.