Far North dumped cars cost thousands

By TONY GEE

Wrecked and abandoned car bodies dumped near Far North roadsides may be worth petrol money in future under a collection and disposal scheme being investigated by the Far North District Council.

Among options being considered to reduce the number of wrecks littering rural roadsides, the council is looking at an incentive payment scheme offering petrol vouchers to people who dump their vehicles legally at designated disposal sites such as refuse transfer stations.

The idea comes from Hastings where the council is trialing a scheme under which residents are offered a $10 petrol voucher for dumping their unwanted wrecks at private wreckers' yards.

The Hastings scheme had been credited with reducing the number of dumped vehicles from 19 to three a month in its first month, a Far North Council report said. It has been told, however, that any inducement considered under an incentive payment scheme in the north should involve $20 to $30 per vehicle dumped legally.

The Far North Council has to pick up between 25 and 30 dumped car bodies each month.

They are taken away and stored at a cost to ratepayers of more than $140 a month for each vehicle.

The report said costs involved in an incentive scheme would be offset by savings on combined environmental and refuse costs which ran at between $4000 and $5000 a month for dumped vehicles in the Far North. Health and safety issues were also involved.

The council budgets $80,000 a year to collect and dispose of car bodies, but has no formal arrangement for collection or disposal.

Another option being considered is to try to formalise an informal service arrangement operating with Gamma Corporation contractors who travel through the Far North about three times a year to collect vehicles from council transfer stations which have sites for car body disposal.

Each of these sites has up to 25 cars that are taken away for final disposal outside the district. A formal agreement with Gamma could see bodies removed from designated sites every three months.

Discussion with wrecking industry representatives on partnerships is listed as another option for a more efficient collection and disposal system.

Council staff will investigate options in the coming weeks before drawing up recommendations.


ROADSIDE WRECKS

The Far North council collects up to 30 dumped car bodies each month.

Storage costs more than $140 a month for each vehicle.

Dumped vehicles cost the council $4000 and $5000 a month.