Dannevirke: Waste dumps sicken council

Tararua mayor Roly Ellis

Disgusting is the only word for illegal fly-tipping in the Tararua, district mayor Roly Ellis says.

"North of Woodville is very bad and it's not passing travellers' rubbish, it's locals dumping."

A wooden pallet dumped on a footpath to bags of lambs tails have been the subject of complaints received by council staff.

Rest areas on State Highway 2 locations have also seen high rates of dumping.

But it's not just the sight of fly-tipped rubbish and the smell which is causing concern - two fires could have had disastrous consequences, district councillors have been told.

Tyres dumped at Poplar Reserve on Makomako Rd were set on fire in October, and it was fortunate the fire did not fully take hold of the lower branches of the surrounding macrocarpa trees before the fire service arrived and put out the blaze.

A camera has now been installed to help in the identification of offenders. Images of a person setting rubbish on fire at the Marima Domain have been referred to the police, with council staff requesting that charges be laid.

This was another incident where it was lucky surrounding trees didn't catch fire, according to a report to council.

If that had occurred, there was a high possibility the fire could have moved through the canopy and into the native trees, resulting in a major vegetation fire.

The alleged offender in this case is not from the Tararua District, councillors were told last week.

The council will now explore options to deter the fly-tipping.

But the rubbish keeps coming. As councillors discussed options last week, another three bags of illegally dumped rubbish was reported, with more piling up in rest areas.