The council budgeted $37,000 a year to pay contractors to clean up the mess, but because of the high cost most of the work was now being done by council staff. He estimated the cost to ratepayers was $80,000 a year.
In a report to councillors, acting environmental protection manager Murray McDonald said household rubbish left on roadsides often contained letters or other identifying material, allowing the offenders to be fined. Large-volume dumping of rubbish tended to occur in rural areas.
Another problem was people leaving rubbish out for kerbside collection without pre-paid bags or stickers, especially around Kerikeri-Waipapa. Recently large numbers of tyres had been dumped at Kaeo and Horeke, or thrown over transfer station fences after hours.
Rubbish could also be a problem on private property. Council officers recently accompanied police to a Kaitaia rental property where the garage was packed with household waste. The land-lord was tracked down in Australia and arranged a clean-up.
Fines range from $100-$400. Unpaid, the council can take the offender to court. In the past two years 121 infringement notices were issued, of which 24 were paid, 38 waived and 59 gone to court.
Te Hiku Community Board chairman Dennis Bowman said entire truckloads were tipped into the Herekino Gorge.
"It's the biggest tip in the district," he said.
Mayor Wayne Brown dismissed Cr Bowman's idea of a targeted rate for cleaning up illegal rubbish, saying it would penalise law-abiding citizens.
"We're going to get photos of these b**tards and take them to court," Mr Brown said.