Persistent rubbish dumping at riverbank upsets residents.

Old carpet, a shower curtain, boxes and empty spirit bottles were dumped near a popular fishing spot in Landguard Rd this week.

A resident said she is fed up with people using the area as a rubbish dump.

"Not only does it look bad, it attracts vermin and is likely to cause pollution," she said.

A Whanganui District Council spokesperson said staff have recently removed an abandoned motorcycle, a skip bin and other general rubbish from Landguard Rd.

"In general though, it hasn't been an area that has attracted large amounts of illegal dumping.

"We very much appreciate the efforts of local residents there to let the council know if they see any rubbish left in the area."

She said the cost of removing rubbish from public places varies, depending on the type and volume of material involved.

"Most rubbish can be removed by our hard-working litter team, which was formed as part of a project between Wanganui District Council and Work and Income New Zealand.

"We would like people to be aware that under the Litter Act 1979, you can be fined up to $5000 for dumping rubbish on public land and up to $7500 for hazardous material."

Most of the Whanganui District Council's urban area is covered by waste collection services, while the Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre provides a one-stop shop for resource recovery and waste minimisation in the Whanganui district.

"It's open 24/7 for dropping off glass, plastics, cans, clothing, paper and cardboard and during normal opening hours, the centre is open for people to drop off tyres, waste oil, e-waste, whiteware and green waste," said the spokesperson.

If you're not sure how to dispose of your rubbish legally, you can call Whanganui District Council for advice on 06 349 0001.