Date: January 18th 2013

Illegal Dumping Of Rubbish In Hastings Rural Areas

Illegally dumped rubbish in rural areas continues to cost Hastings ratepayers thousands of dollars each year to clean up.

The number of reports of rubbish being dumped on the roadside continues to rise, particularly in rural areas just outside the city boundary

Waste Minimisation Officer Dominic Salmon says “The practice of residents randomly dumping their rubbish on the roadside is becoming greater each year and it’s got to stop. Not only does it create an eyesore but the cost of cleaning up the mess is borne by our ratepayers. Incidents of illegal dumping have been cleared recently from Tollemache, Kaiapo and Irongate Roads but many other rural roads are regularly being used as rubbish dumps.”

Mr Salmon says “One of the most frustrating aspects of this type of dumping is that much of the material which is left on the side of the road can be recycled free of charge at a transfer station or at a recycling centre. A council contractor recently removed a trailer load of glass bottles and cardboard from a roadside drain.”

“Anyone who is identified or caught in the act of dumping rubbish on the roadside runs the risk of being fined between $100 and $400. Council has issued 30 infringement notices in the past 12 months for illegal dumping.”

“We ask that rural residents in particular remain vigilant and report any illegally dumped rubbish as soon as possible. We will clear it up as quickly as we can but we would rather that everyone takes responsibility and deposits their rubbish at a transfer station or uses council’s street collection.”

Caption: Rubbish (mainly recycling) dumped on the side of Kaiapo Road just outside the urban area of Hastings

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Metservice: Where Will Snow Fall And What To Look Out For

The deep Antarctic air that is expected to sweep across the country this week is bringing very significant weather to many provinces.Here's the official MetService view of the key weather concerns for the country.

MetService Media and Communications Meteorologist Dan Corbett commented,"While snow will be a major issue for those in the South Island, wind and hail will affect many North Island districts."

Snow is expected to fall to sea level, or very near it, from Southland to South Canterbury from late Wednesday into Thursday and Friday. The snow level is expected to rise to 200m from about Christchurch northwards... More>>