Far North Ratepayers face rubbish cost rise

Refuse disposal charges at the Far North District Council's 20 Refuse Transfer Stations will be increasing from April after refuse costs in the district went up by more than 50 percent in a year.
Ongoing demands for higher environmental standards and increased operational costs pushed the total cost of refuse disposal and recycling services in the Far North up. This financial year refuse costs for the FNDC increased from $2.5 million to $3.7 million.
Illegal dumping clean-up costs also added to overall operational overheads, with almost $100,000 spent in the last eight months as a direct result of illegal dumping activities.
To ensure "all users of refuse transfer stations contribute to recovering these costs, rather than just ratepayers", the council has opted to increase the user pays portion of dumping.
The FNDC says the true cost of refuse disposal and recycling services is around $5.50 per 65 litre bag, with only $1.50 being recovered through user pays. The balance is recovered through rates. From April 1 the charge for a 65 litre bag will increase to $2.
"Residents can reduce costs to themselves and the council by separating out recyclable materials which will then be accepted free of charge at most of the transfer stations," FNDC transport, drainage and utilities committee chairman Tom Baker said.
The New Zealand Waste Strategy, developed by Local Government New Zealand and the Ministry for the Environment and released in 2002, supports a user pays system in which costs which are directly attributable to refuse disposal are met by the waste generator, Mr Baker said.
The strategy includes recommendations to charge waste generators the true environmental cost of treatment and disposal, encourage individual efforts to reduce waste and develop economic incentives to change wasteful behaviour.
Public notices detailing all charges will be published in the coming weeks. Any pre-purchased Council refuse disposal stickers still in circulation will be accepted with an additional fee payable. Greenwaste charges will not be affected by this increase.
"Please continue to report those who illegally discard their rubbish, cost the ratepayer unnecessarily, and spoil the Far North's beautiful scenery," Mr Baker said.