8 November 2013
City trials option to reduce illegal dumping

Increasing instances of illegal fly tipping has prompted Palmerston North City Council to trial a new initiative aimed at keeping the City looking great.

Rubbish and recycling engineer Natasha Simmons says a one-off Controlled Disposal Event will be held for unwanted household items on Sunday 17 November in a bid to prevent illegal dumping in the City’s parks, streams and around clothing bins.

“It’s an incredibly frustrating issue for everyone from the residents who live near areas where people fly tip to Council staff who are diverted from their day jobs to picking up other peoples’ rubbish.”

“In some instances,” Natasha says “our team has had to descend into gullies and down steep banks using climbing ropes in order to reach the dumped materials which then have to be roped out.”

We’ve calculated that the combined costs of cleaning up illegal dumping, from across all Council divisions, from parks and recreation through to regulation, removal and dumping fees, costs ratepayers more than $200,000 a year.

Natasha says as most illegal dumping involves large household items we’ve decided to hold a one-off controlled disposal event for unwanted household items.

Historically events like this have been held in the City, the most recent being OpCombi which ran up until last year and picked up items from outside student flats.

Unwanted whiteware and furniture such as beds, bookshelves and couches can be dropped off at Hokowhitu Park in Albert Street on Sunday 17 November between 10am and 2pm.

Natasha says the team that ran the successful TV Takeback campaign will run the event and traffic management will be carried out.

“We’re in discussions with charity groups to see if they want to go through the items prior to them being dumped.”

Natasha says it’s important to remember that the Controlled Disposal Point trial is not a ‘free for all’ situation, and residents will be asked to take away items that do not fit the criteria such as:
• General household rubbish that can be placed out in the kerbside collection
• E-Waste (Electronic Waste – such as computers, TVs)
• Rubble/Concrete/Soil
• Greenwaste
• Tyres
• Hazardous Waste
• Liquid Waste
• Construction & Demolition Waste
Natasha says if the event proves successful then Council will consider offering it again.

ENDS

© Scoop Media