Kaipara clamps down on illegal rubbish dumping

The saga of unsightly rubbish bags on roadsides continues with a decision by Kaipara District Council to remove a rubbish cage from the corner of Oruawharo Road and SH1, Topuni.

Council says other cages may go if illegal dumpers do not tidy up their act.
Council installed 13 storage cages around the district to protect rubbish bags awaiting collection and reduce damage by animals.

They are for Council’s officially sanctioned blue bags only, but community infrastructural assets manager Fiona Vessey says mis-use of some in the Otamatea area is putting their future at risk.

“People have been using the Oruawharo cage as a dump, not a collection site,” she says. “It stinks and is attracting vermin. It’s an eyesore and a health risk that is costing ratepayers because Council has to pay to clean it up, and it’s not a nice welcome to Kaipara.”

Council has removed the cage and put up signs advising that only official blue refuse bags may be left at the site and only between 9am on Sundays and 9am on Mondays.

Anyone leaving refuse outside these times faces a $500 fine under Council Bylaws while depositing unofficial bags or other rubbish will attract fines up to $5000 under the Litter Act1979.