Lazy dumping scars suburb

An unsightly mess around the clothing deposit bins at Paramount Plaza, Tikipunga. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Neighbours, shopkeepers and the owners of a Whangarei shopping plaza who were becoming increasingly concerned over the eyesore created by clothing and household goods dumped around collection bins in the car park have had some relief - the bins have been removed.

Two clothing bins at Paramount Plaza were dwarfed yesterday by boxes and bags of clothes and household items strewn around the nearby parking space. Much of what had been dumped could be described as rubbish, but within hours of the Northern Advocate asking what was going on, the bins - and associated rubbish - were gone.

Neighbours who complained about the scene yesterday were surprised to learn the blue clothing deposit bins were owned by Savemart, a national chain of recycled clothes outlets with a branch at Kamo. The bins are not owned by charities or church groups that redistribute or resell the items. One neighbour said filthy old mattresses and broken furniture had been left there in the past, and at least once a week people picked through the piles and further spread the mess that got dumped overnight.

She was delighted the bins had been removed by yesterday afternoon and hoped they - and associated dumped rubbish - would not return.

Whangarei Savemart manager Grace Young agreed the dumping of rubbish was a growing problem, especially at the Tikipunga collection bin site.

"We've even had household rubbish put inside the bins at times," Ms Young initially said.

"We check the bins daily but people still ring us sometimes to say there's a big mess at them."

The dumping had increased noticeably since Whangarei District Council refuse centre fees had gone up but now Savemart had to carry that cost, she said.

"Our truck driver has to clean it all up and take it to the tip, which is expensive.

"Televisions alone cost us $18 each to leave at the refuse centre."

But neighbours do not buy the increased fees theory for people dumping rubbish at the bins and the company removed the bins before 4.30pm yesterday.

Whangarei District Council contractors have at times cleared away rubbish from those and other bins around town, the neighbour said.

No one from the council was available to comment yesterday.

Melanie Hubbard, one of the shopping centre's Auckland-based owners, said the dumping problem had led to the installation of a security camera but it was sometimes hard to identify offenders and car number plates.

She said she was aware it was an unpleasant problem for retailers, shoppers and neighbours.

"We have toyed with the idea of getting rid of the bins altogether," Ms Hubbard said.

She was surprised when we called back to say the bins had been removed by Savemart.