Wanganui looking at litter levy on fast-food

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws says his city is being trashed by "excessive" fast-food packaging and the council is considering imposing a litter levy on fast-food chains.

The outspoken mayor and radio host, a former National MP, said a stroll through Wanganui streets on a Sunday morning revealed it was McDonald's, KFC and Burger King whose litter was being strewn around city streets.

"If they can't control their patrons, then the rest of the ratepayers pay for the clean-up," he said, "and I don't believe that's fair."

The council would also consider a system of instant fines for litterbugs at the meeting.

People who refused to use Wanganui's rubbish bins were driving away tourists and visitors and spoiling enjoyment of the city for law-abiding citizens and it was time to get tough, he said.

"We are not going to shoot them but the key is harsher penalties, including instant fines that will hurt enough so you don't do it again."

Spokesman Liam Jeory said people dumping McDonald's packaging on the streets was an "acute embarrassment" for the company but once food was bought, the packaging no longer legally belonged to the seller. The solution to litter was to punish the person doing it rather than the companies who sold the product. Fast-food outlets should not be singled out.

Anti-litter campaigners and city councils around the world have long targeted fast-food operators, with individual outlets in some cities fined if excessive rubbish is found on nearby streets.