Greater Wellington is the promotional name of the Wellington Regional Council

News release

7 July 2004

Private Domestic Rubbish Dump Told To Clean Up

A persistent offender who has been using his property as an illegal dumping site for a decade has been ordered by the Environment Court to clean up the whole of his section.

Upper Hutt resident Graham Alexander has three months to clean up his 4.4 hectare section in the Mangaroa Valley following the recent ruling by the Judge Kenderdine in the Environment Court.

The court decision follows the dumping last October of waste, timber, pipes, roofing iron and animal carcasses down a steep bank near a tributary of Cooley’s Stream. The hillside dumpsite 10-15 metres wide extended 15 metres down a slope towards a watercourse.

Judge Kenderdine said it was disturbing that Alexander was dumping illegal material after already being issued with a series of abatement notices and enforcement orders, and that he hadn’t fully complied with previous Environment Court orders.

She also noted that Alexander was not responding to attempts to discuss the issue with the regional council.

“In my opinion it is appropriate that the council seeks orders against all of the respondent’s property given the history of dumping and the respondent’s blatant disregard of the law so far.”

Greater Wellington’s resource investigation manager John Sherriff says Alexander is a persistent offender who had been using various parts of his property as illegal dumpsites for material that should normally go to a proper landfill or rubbish tip.

“We’ve been dealing with the property and its owner for the last 10 years over the filling of swampy areas and the unauthorised dumping of everything from plastic and corrugated iron to whiteware and dead animals. We’re concerned about the stability of his dumpsites down steep banks which may pose the risk of slips, as well as the threat of leaching into the stream.”

Alexander has been ordered to cease dumping and remove all non-clean fill. If he doesn’t do that within three months, the Environment Court has given Greater Wellington the authority to carry out the clean up and recover any costs.

ENDS

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