Newly introduced rubbish charges could be behind backyard burn-ups getting up some people's noses.
The Northland Regional Council is concerned about the number of complaints it has received about smoke nuisance _ twice the usual number since the Whangarei District Council introduced kerbside collection charges.
While the increase coincides with the new
rubbish charges, spring and early summer were typically when most people either burnt garden waste or tried to beat the expected seasonal fire ban, said regional council air quality manager Paul Baynham.
However, several people responsible for recent backyard fires have told the council they were burning rubbish to avoid paying the new charges.
"Most of these complaints arise because people either just don't think of, or care about, their neighbours," Mr Baynham said.
Among the more unusual items people have been caught attempting to burn were disposable nappies, fish carcasses and even dog droppings.
The fires were not only anti-social but involved health issues, with the smoke and fumes often containing toxic and carcinogenic chemicals like dioxin, Mr Baynham said.
Among items it was illegal to burn under the council's air quality plan were rubber, hazardous substances, coated metal cable, vehicle parts, copper-treated timber and halogenate plastic products.
The desire to burn rubbish might be quenched by possible instant fines of $750 for people found to be creating a smoke nuisance.
