Rubbish dumpers in Northland tarnish 'clean, green' image of NZ

Household rubbish dumped on the side of SH10 before Christmas.

New Zealand's clean green image is being severely tarnished in Northland by roadside rubbish dumpers according to the NZ Transport Agency's Northland system manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult. And it was a growing problem.

"We do heaps of rubbish clearing across the Northland network, and it's becoming an increasing problem with people littering or dumping domestic and commercial rubbish along the roadside," she said.

"We clear two dump sites and pick up an average 500 black bags of rubbish a month.
"Chasing rubbish dumpers is not our core business, but we have to clean up after them. And that's a waste of our time and resources. We all have a responsibility to protect our environment and keep it clean."

Ms Hori-Hoult said there were two sorts of dumpers, those who bought fast food and threw the leftovers and packaging out the car window, and those who loaded up their household rubbish — everything from broken furniture and bikes to bags of clothes and food waste — and tossed it at a rest stop or on the side of the road.

"They leave a disgusting mess, and it's not a great impression for our visitors," Ms Hori-Hoult said.

"It's a year-round problem, so locals are responsible for some of it, but it's worse in summer with holiday-makers who go home but leave their rubbish behind." That might be about to change, however.

"We're really pleased to see we are starting to get the prosecution process for roadside dumping under way in Northland, thanks to the partnerships we have with our Northland councils," she said.

"If we find names and addresses in the rubbish we'll work with the councils to follow up. Better still if people can send us vehicle registrations or photos of dumpers in action.
"We've got their rubbish. We just need eye witness or photographic evidence to confirm the person responsible."