Company accused of unlawful dumping
A driver caught dumping garden waste at a council park has apologised, saying he thought it was common practice.
U and I Tree and Landscaping services owner Solafa Toailoa was spotted by local residents in west Auckland dumping mulch in the open at Craigavon Park, a local dog park.
The residents took video and pictures of him dumping the mulch, posted on social media and alerted the council, which would be investigating.
The video shows a truckload of mulch being dumped in an open area, on what appears to be the side of the road.
Phoenix Llewellyn said on Facebook she was sick of the dumping that she saw at the park.
‘‘We use that park every day walking our dog (who is 13yrs), and I am also sick to death of seeing others destroy my backyard. I have no qualms about reporting these things.’’
Llewellyn said the driver had told her ‘‘everybody does it’’ but she didn’t feel that made it OK.
Toailoa says he had no idea he was not to dump the mulch at the park because signage wasn’t clear.
He says he has managed his business for more than 10 years and this was the first time that he had dumped mulch there.
Toailoa says the mulch was clean. ‘‘If I’d known there was a sign there I wouldn’t dump it. I wouldn’t have done it because I’m a minister and I feel guilty.’’
He had completed a job in Green Bay and rather than take the mulch to his usual dumping spot in Papakura, he thought he would take it just around the corner to Craigavon Park.
Toailoa says he has seen other landscaping services doing the same thing so had thought nothing of it until approached by residents.
Auckland Council general manager of waste solutions Ian Stupple says illegal dumping costs ratepayers more than $1m each year.
In the 2015 financial year, 96 litter infringement notices were issued.
‘‘Auckland Council has received a complaint about illegal dumping at Craigavon Park, that we will investigate. Dumping green waste in a park is illegal dumping and a matter we take very seriously.’’
Stupple says the penalty for illegal dumping is fines of up to $400 for a litter infringement notice or up to $30,000 on successful prosecution.