Fly-tipping gets worse

An alarm has been sounded for Masterton residents to report illicit rubbish dumping amid fears the crime is widespread and worsening in the town.
After being approached by outraged River Road resident Gary Watt over the problem, the Times-Age visited sites notorious for illegal dumping near Mr Watt's home.
Discovered at the sites were car parts, items of clothing, bottles and cans, polythene, a foam squab, fleece in a wool fadge and a pile of docked lambs tails that had been burned because of their stink.
Mr Watt said the problem at the moment was "terrible - it's never been this bad before".
"I've reported this before but nothing's been done about it. People have just got to take more responsibility for their litter."
Mr Watt believes patrols should be made of the worst sites in Masterton for fly tipping to crack down on the illegal dumping.
Masterton councillor David Holmes, who spoke out about illegal dumping last September, said it was a problem his council must address.
"I've got to be honest - I think it's only getting worse. You've only got to go out to the Johnston Street extension to see it.
"With regard to the carcasses and sheep skins that are being dumped, it's probably got a lot to do with Christmas, when a lot of people have been helping themselves to farmers' stock through the period. They don't know what to do with the guts and hides afterward, so they just dump them. It's completely unacceptable."
Mr Holmes recently caught some dumpers in the act and they had since been prosecuted.
He believed the worsening problem was directly due to the economic climate along with July landfill cost changes that increased gate fees per tonne of waste from $144.40 to $160 and compost fees from $30 to $40 per tonne.
"Reducing the tip hours probably hasn't helped it either. Refuse is a huge problem not only here but nationwide, and we're going to have to get our act together."
"Anybody who is caught breaking the rules should be punished accordingly," Mr Holmes said.
Those caught faced an instant fine of $150.
Masterton District Council chief executive Wes ten Hove said it was domestic rubbish that was proving the council's main concern.
He asked that people with information on those doing the dumping to report them to the council.
Fly tipping was however "not much of a problem" in the Carterton District, according to Carterton District Council operations manager Gary Baker.
"We did have a couple of incidents in December, but very minor. We haven't had any reports of illegal dumping lately and we monitor the popular dumping spots regularly."
It was also a minor issue in South Wairarapa, South Wairarapa District Council chief executive Dr Jack Dowds said.
"The only problem we have with it is around the coast, during the camping season, however it's not a major issue. We have our camping rangers on duty over this period and if they see any rubbish they pick it up and get it dealt with."