Rubbish dumping costs Tauranga and Western Bay ratepayers $152K

Illegally dumped rubbish costs thousands in clean up and disposal costs. Photo / File

Cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish is costing Tauranga City and Western Bay ratepayers tens of thousands of dollars each year.

The two councils say dumping has not been a significant problem during the latest alert level 4 lockdown, but they still had to deal with a number of complaints.

Removal and disposal of illegally dumped rubbish for the year to June 30, 2021, cost Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council just under $152, 700.

Tauranga sustainability and waste manager Sam Fellows urged residents to report any incidents of illegal dumping to the council with as much evidence as possible.

"Photos, vehicle number plates and descriptions of people [involved] can help council take action.

"We've managed to track down a few culprits recently with the help of our community."

Fellows said removing and getting rid of illegally dumped materials came at a significant cost to ratepayers.

The Tauranga council spent $58,389 in the financial year ending June 30, 2021, which is $7496 more than the previous year.

"We live in a special place and most of our residents want to do everything they can to keep it that way."

The reduced rubbish and recycling services during alert level 4 would have left some residents with excess waste.

Tauranga residents who are struggling can drop off two 60-litre rubbish bags per household at Te Maunga Transfer Station free of charge from September 1 to 15.

"Long delays are the transfer station are expected, so we encourage residents to only use the service if necessary," Fellows said.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council deputy chief executive Gary Allis said the council had received 19 reports of dumped rubbish bags, tyres and household items since the lockdown began.

"We've had reports of dumping beside state highways, near rubbish bins in town and at the end of rural roads."

Allis, who is also the group manager of infrastructure, said now the district was under alert level 3 restrictions, the council's contractor had started to collect the dumped items.

This would include dumped items left outside op shops, he said.

Allis said based on the dumped rubbish reports the council had received so far, this lockdown was better than the last.

Disposing of illegally dumped rubbish cost Western Bay ratepayer $94,310.63 in the financial year ended June 30, 2021.

The council had installed CCTV security cameras in a couple of known trouble areas in the district without success - one camera was vandalised within the first week, he said.

Allis urged residents to dispose of rubbish responsibly.

"Anything that can't go into your kerbside waste collection needs to be taken to a transfer station."

- Report illegal dumping by phoning Tauranga City council on 07-577 7000 or Western Bay of Plenty District Council on 0800TRASHY (0800 872 749).