User-pays idea stirs dumping fears

Photo / APN

A jump in illegal dumping of rubbish in poorer and rural communities is expected if a plan to introduce user-pays household collections throughout Auckland is introduced.

These concerns led to calls for tougher enforcement and fines during last week's Auckland Council meeting about a standard waste management plan, under which a household would pay $2.50 every time an 80-litre wheelie bin is emptied at the kerbside.

Hearings committee chairwoman Noelene Raffills said a lot of concern was expressed about illegal dumping.

Recommendations would be made on strict enforcement and penalties for those who refused to comply and "who do not want to be part of the community". A new regional bylaw providing for fines could be passed if the council wished.

An option to phase out a rates-funded kerbside collection of household inorganic rubbish in favour of "booking" a collection for a fee raised concerns about more "fly tipping" in the countryside.

But Mrs Raffills said more illegal dumping was done in areas where collections were part of the rates rather than direct user-pays.

The council was told rates-funded areas in South Auckland had three times more cases of illegal dumping than the city's west and north.

Infrastructure and Services manager John Dragicevich said concerns about illegal dumping "going through the roof" were not realised when the booking system was introduced for Waitakere City.

This was because of increased effort on educating the community and enforcement. Cameras were trained on dumping hot spots and the message went out that "if you illegally dump we will find you".

Dumping did not stop because of the nature of the terrain in the west, with many curves in the road to Piha aiding people to toss the rubbish out the car window.

Illegal dumping was like the fight against graffiti.

"As soon as you remove it, it comes back," said Mr Dragicevich. "It increases again as soon as enforcement and education steps back."

He said enforcement had slipped, but could be corrected by harmonising computer and office systems and "spending more time in the courts".

Extra enforcement and stiff fines are proposed in the plan with communications and community engagement programmes.

The council could also appoint warranted litter officers and litter wardens and advocate for compulsory deposits on containers.

THE PENALTIES

* $100 to $400 fines
* 164 fines issued 2011-12
* 4 prosecutions.