Hamilton council dump slammed for polluting river

An Environment Waikato report has criticised the condition of the Hamilton City Council rubbish dump, which is leaking toxic liquid into the Waikato River.

Resource officer Barry Campbell yesterday told the Waikato Regional Council's regulatory committee that it was "not a pretty picture of compliance".

He said leachate - a toxic liquid produced when rubbish breaks down - was leaking into the land and the adjacent river.

The tip is managed by the city council and Perry Environmental under a contract that has not been updated since the 1980s.