Rubbish dumpers face hefty fines

Brenda Ralph at the illegal dump site at Cherry Grove Reserve. Photo/Supplied

The illegal dumping of rubbish is costing Ruapehu ratepayers a lot of money and spoiling the district's beautiful green spaces.

Not only is it creating an eyesore, Ruapehu District Council says it also presents an environmental and health and safety risk.

Council spokeswoman Brenda Ralph said a spate of illegal dumping around the district has been upsetting local communities and keeping the local authority and its contractors busy cleaning up the mess.

"Over the past couple of weeks we have had calls about illegally dumped rubbish in Taumarunui, Cherry Grove Reserve and a huge illegal dump in Pipiriki.

"Local communities understandably get very upset when someone dumps their household or other rubbish in their neighbourhood and where they walk their dog or kids play." She said the illegal dumping also included people dumping butchered carcasses near a school playground, which in addition to the smell and disease issues, was attracting stray dogs.

Mrs Ralph said that council staff were often left wondering about the mentality of people who thought it was all right to do this sort of thing.

"Often a lot of the refuse people illegally dump is actually recycling that could have been disposed of for free at their local transfer station.

"In the Cherry Grove Reserve this week a lot of the refuse was green waste," she said.

The council was aware that people were wary of landfill charges but the cost of dumping up to 20kg of green waste was only $2 or 20kg of residential refuse only $3 at the Taumarunui landfill, she said.

"This is significantly cheaper than the infringement cost for illegal dumping which is $400 plus the cost of the clean-up."

Mrs Ralph said illegal dumpers should note that the council worked hard at tracking down the culprits.

"We have a very good track record of identifying illegal dumpers, fining them and getting them to pay for the clean-up costs."

She said the local authority was encouraging anyone who saw any suspicious activity to make a note of a number plate and other details such as colour/make of car, or take a cellphone photo, and then either report the details to the council or the police.

"All such reports to the council are treated in complete confidence," she said.