Pigs help themselves to early rubbish bags in Mangonui

Pigs tucking into rubbish bags on Kohumaru Rd. Photo / Mike Crossley

Dogs generally cop the blame for breaking into rubbish bags left on the side of the road for collection by Waste Management, but it was pigs that made a mess on Kohumaru Rd, south of Mangonui, last week.

And resident Mike Crossley said he had had enough of people who put their bags out earlier than they should.

"Everyone knows that the bags are picked up on Tuesday, but that doesn't bother some people," he said.

"They put their bags out when they feel like it, and that's just inviting animals to break into them and spread everything around.

"Every day I see it, from Doubtless Bay to Awanui. Some people put their bags out any day of the week, whenever is convenient for them. And everyone knows what a problem this is. You often see comments on Facebook.

"I take my hat off to Waste Management. They have to keep cleaning it up," said, adding that the issue was more one of arrogance than ignorance.

Another poster said she could not see why the Far North District Council continued providing the service given some people's inability to read.

"On SH1 the drop-off is Tuesday for pick up Wednesday," she said, "but from Friday onwards there is always rubbish opposite Fairburn Rd. Today [it] was covered with rats. There were also bags out at Takahue Rd and Fryer Rd. These ones remain contained but again are three days early.

"It just encourages mice, rats, cats, dogs and even pigs to pick their way though these far too often. And what about the workers who have to pick it all up? Your rubbish, be responsible for it."

Another said she had seen rats as big as cats on SH1 opposite Fairburn Rd, yet some people still dropped bags there immediately after the weekly collection.

Meanwhile, suggested solutions to Kohumaru Rd's pig problem ranged from the council providing a cage or a skip bin to prevent animals from reaching the bags, to dosing the bags with washing powder or rat bait, and changing the system to collecting rubbish from outside the owner's gate.

Blame for last week's pig attack was shared between the pigs, their owners and whoever dumped rubbish early, several suggesting an immediate solution by providing freezer space.

One poster, however, seemed to concede defeat: "Welcome to the Far North visitors ... 3rd world countries have more pride."