Crackdown on illegal rubbish
‘‘You can’t expect the council to remove it for you and for ratepayers to effectively subsidise your rubbish removal costs. ’’ Jan Eckersley Council senior waste advisor
Aucklanders are dumping tonnes of rubbish per week and the council has had enough.
In the year to September, Auckland Council dealt with 1699 tonnes of rubbish dumped illegally around the city.
That’s about 3398 grand pianos worth of junk disposed of incorrectly, or a bit over 32 tonnes per week.
The council had some help in handling the situation. In the same year, Aucklanders made 17,526 reports by phone, email or in person of illegally dumped rubbish – nearly 50 a day.
Just 40% of this is eventually dealt with by the person responsible for it. The rest is left to council – and ratepayers – to remove.
The waste division investigates illegal dumpers even after removing their rubbish, and ultimately hands out consequences. That can involve poking through rubbish for clues, or using nearby cameras to identify offenders.
Council senior waste advisor Jan Eckersley said the council is cracking down on illegal rubbish and will not hesitate to prosecute offenders, if necessary.
‘‘We feel strongly that your waste is your responsibility,’’ she said.
‘‘You can’t expect the council to remove it for you and for ratepayers to effectively subsidise your rubbish removal costs.’’
Eckersley said, between September 2021 and September 2022, the council issued 190 litter infringement fines ranging from $100-$400.
She said people didn’t plan enough – they might have energy at the beginning of a party, clear out or working bee but none at the end to deal with the rubbish.
By then, transfer stations could be closed, and people don’t seem to keep their rubbish overnight, Eckersley said.
And while waste transfer stations are private and cost money, Eckersley said it’s important people consider that and not expect rubbish removal to be free.
‘‘We know there is a lot of information available, and sometimes it’s just people having the time to look at that.’’
One of the first steps council does is leave notices on illegally dumped rubbish warning the owners of the infringement. The notice even includes all the ways to legally dispose of the offending items. Eckersley said if waste isn’t handled properly it can cause environmental issues, like spreading weeds, attracting pests and contaminating ground and waterways. So what are you supposed to do with your rubbish? The Auckland Council has a detailed website showing how to handle different types of rubbish, from your electronic waste to rubber and sawdust. If you’re planning a big renovation or move, you can book a collection for household items, known as inorganic waste. There are 13 transfer stations around the city that accept various kinds of rubbish – check the ones closest to you and make sure they take what you want to throw away.
There are 11 Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) where you can take unwanted items – and buy other people’s stuff too.
The newest centre is in Manurewa, and council intends to build another 10 in the next 10 years. You can report illegal rubbish by calling 0800 nodump (0800 663 867).