Company, director fined for tyre dumping

An Auckland auto repair company garage and its owner have been ordered to pay a total of $3196 for the illegal dumping of tyres.

Mohammad Easa Nazif, owner of Fair Motors Ltd, Mangere, and the company were each ordered to pay $1598 in fines and costs in the Auckland District Court.

The court heard that while Mr Nazif was absent from the business, an employee asked two helpers to dump 155 tyres in front of a vacant section in an Otahuhu street, during Auckland City Council's inorganic collection.

Neighbours witnessed the off-loading of tyres from a truck, took photographs and reported the registration number to the council.

In an affidavit to the court, Mr Nazif, who pleaded guilty, said a well-meaning employee had acted to clean up the yard, believing he was doing the company a favour.

Mr Nazif said the company normally disposed of tyres properly.

Chair of the Auckland City development committee councillor Aaron Bhatnagar, said the successful prosecution was a sign the council would pursue all forms of illegal dumping, particularly by businesses.

"It is a practice which is a blight on the environment and which last financial year costs ratepayers over $500,000 to recover dumped material and dispose of it properly. Last year we spent $24,000 alone, collecting and disposing of illegally dumped tyres."

About four million tyres a year are available for recycling in New Zealand.

Shredded products are used for things such as drainage, horse arenas, boxing bags, matting, firing range backstops, erosion control, soundproofing, and insulation.

- NZPA