Hidden costs of dump-a-wreck

Unwanted cars are being dumped at a rate of nearly 500 a week, a university lecturer has discovered.

Dr Sue Cassells, who lectures in Massey University's finance department, recently completed a PhD thesis in applied economics on the subject of vehicles which had reached the end of their useful lives.

She says it is an environmental headache costing ratepayers more than $6 million a year.

In a study commissioned and financed by Toyota, Dr Cassells set out to find out how much harm was being caused by discarded vehicles.

She found that only about 35 per cent of people who abandon vehicles were traced and made accountable, leaving ratepayers to cover the cost of dealing with the rest.

Some vehicles were left in terrain so rough they were almost impossible to retrieve and others were left on private property, sometimes leaking hazardous gases, oozing fluids and being an eyesore.

"One in every five vehicles being deregistered is dumped," Dr Cassells said.

"It's too easy for owners of old vehicles to abandon them without penalty."

Changes were needed to ensure that unwanted vehicles went into the recycling system.

A lack of enforcement and not having a standard system for taking vehicles into the recycling system were not helping matters.

Dr Cassells said even the unknown number of vehicles being recycled could be environmental risks because of the lack of standards and practices on removing potentially harmful components.

"Not all undergo depollution," she said.

Her recommendations were based on tightening licensing rules, possibly including disposal costs in fees, and making it easier to legally dispose of unwanted cars.

Dr Cassells said she had liaised with councils, the Land Transport Safety Authority and the environment and transport ministries. All had expressed interest in addressing the problem.

She hoped to get together with the parties and take the matter further.

- NZPA