Asbestos was dumped near Tautau Stream, a critical water supply source for Tauranga.
An Ōropi resident says he is “angry and frustrated” at the slow response to his repeated calls about illegal dumping of asbestos near a Tauranga city water supply site.
The Western Bay of Plenty District Council says the delay was due to “some initial confusion” about the exact location of the dumped materials and it has since been cleared.
The man, a construction worker who asked not to be named, said he called the Bay of Plenty Regional Council pollution hotline twice on March 6 after spotting two or three dumped rubbish bags containing what looked like asbestos materials.
He said the bags were dumped halfway between Gluepot Rd and State Highway 36 about 8-10m from Tautau Stream.
Tauranga’s drinking water is sourced from three spring-fed streams – the Tautau, Waiorohi and Waiāri – and treated at three water treatment plants, including one in Ōropi.
The complainant said he was familiar with asbestos products.
“I told the woman on the hotline I was 90% sure it was asbestos concrete and pipes, enough to fill a trailer-load. I also warned her that anyone visiting the area should be extremely careful.”
He said the hotline operator assured him his concerns would be passed on to the appropriate person.
However, he called the hotline again at 1.51pm on Monday when he saw the asbestos material was still there, and the same operator suggested he phone the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
The complainant said as he was taking photographs later that day, a Hawkins Construction worker pulled over and confirmed the dumped waste was asbestos products.
“I just can’t understand why it’s taken so long for anything to happen. We’re not talking about timber pellets or general household waste – this is highly dangerous stuff and a health hazard.”
The man said it was “bloody appalling” it had not been cleaned up immediately, given the dumped material’s proximity to a drinking water source.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council compliance team leader Trudy Richards said the council received an email on March 2, followed by two calls to the pollution hotline on March 6 and 8 about fly‑tipping at the site.
The information was passed to the Western Bay District Council, the relevant territorial authority.
Asbestos materials must be “managed and removed by a licensed asbestos professional” in line with national health and safety requirements. Richards urged people not to disturb the waste.
“Fly‑tipping is not only hazardous to the environment but also frustrating for the community, as the clean‑up costs ultimately fall back on ratepayers.
“These incidents divert resources away from other important work and place an unnecessary burden on councils and the public.”
Western Bay of Plenty District Council solid waste operations lead Katie McHugh said the council had received several complaints, both directly and via the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
She said the council’s contractor, Downer NZ, had sent its specialist team for handling dangerous materials to collect the waste this morning.
McHugh said there was “some initial confusion” about the exact location of the dumped materials, which affected the collection date.
“Dumping dangerous materials is illegal and unacceptable, and puts people, wildlife and the environment at risk. We urge anyone disposing of hazardous items to use authorised facilities and follow safe disposal guidelines.”
She said it costs the council about $150,000 a year to remove and dispose of dumped waste.
There was also a “considerable amount” of green waste dumped illegally on various pieces of land throughout the district, including reserves, roadsides, down banks and in vacant lots.
“While it might seem harmless, dumped garden waste can smother native vegetation, threaten wildlife habitats, attract pests and disease, introduce invasive species and increase fire risk.”
The council sought to recover clean‑up costs when it could identify those responsible, McHugh said.
“However, this is often difficult as illegal dumping usually happens in remote or hard-to-see areas where people think they won’t get caught.”
Illegal waste dumping in the Western Bay district can be reported by emailing info@westernbay.govt.nz, phoning 0800 TRASHY, or via the Antenno app.
Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 25 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.