Cameras may nab dumpers

Fed up with illegal dumpers, Waimate District councillors are considering installing cameras to catch culprits in the act.

Concerns about the dumping have been raised in recent months, with reports of offending along the Waihao River, the beach at St Andrews, and at Waimate’s resource recovery park.

Councillor Tom O’Connor said he has battled illegal dumping for years.

‘‘I had the assumption it was outsiders, it’s not, it’s locals, as we trawl through trash we find power bills, etc.

‘‘It is not sufficient to prosecute them, but we can embarrass them and I’m good at that.’’

The matter was discussed by councillors at a meeting on Tuesday during which mayor Craig Rowley asked if it was time to install cameras.

‘‘District wide we need to do some education, we need to do recycling a lot better than what we are doing as we are going to see an increase on waste levies on rubbish and people will see a massive jump in their rates when it comes to rubbish removal.’’

Rowley’s suggestion to install cameras follows calls from Waihao Wainono Catchment Community Group chairman Roger Small who last month urged the council to take serious action to catch people littering the countryside.

Small told Stuff security cameras should be set up at the Waihao River.

Council water and waste manager Paul Roberts told the meeting people should get as much information as possible, including photographs and registration numbers of vehicles, if they see illegal dumping.

‘‘This can be done from a safe distance,’’ he said.

Cr Peter Collins said it was a problem that was unlikely to go away.

‘‘The problem is the people we are talking about don’t give a rats. I don’t know how you get around it, it’s something you have to live with.’’

Council chief executive Stuart Duncan suggested positive peer pressure.

‘‘The best way is to get the rest of the population to deal with those one or two percenters.

‘‘I think education is definitely the key to success.’’