24 AUGUST 2006

Don’t Put Out Inorganic Rubbish Too Early

Manukau residents putting out their inorganic rubbish too early are making neighbourhoods look like dumps and causing concerns about children’s safety.

Manukau City Council Environment and Urban Design Committee Chair Noel Burnside says it is time residents started taking more responsibility for keeping their neighbourhood clean.

“We remind people every year to wait until they receive a flyer from the council before putting out their inorganic rubbish. But we’re still seeing rubbish on streets weeks before it is due to be collected.

“If you haven’t received a flyer from the council, don’t put out any inorganic rubbish,” Cr Burnside says.

The orange and blue flyer will arrive a week before collection. It tells residents when rubbish can be put out and what not to put out.

“The amount of rubbish is up about 30 per cent on last year. That means it is very important to put out rubbish as close to the collection date as possible and stack it neatly to stop neighbourhoods looking like a dump,” Cr Burnside says.

Rubbish left on the side of the road for long periods of time also increases the likelihood of children playing with it and hurting themselves, he says.

“The council can’t send out trucks to collect all the rubbish put out early because it would cost a lot more money. That would have to come from rates.”

Cr Burnside says the council spends more than $1 million a year providing the inorganic collection, which most people welcome as an easy way to get rid of rubbish.

“But there is a certain amount of responsibility that goes with the collection; keep to the dates specified, encourage your neighbours to do the same and stack rubbish safely outside your house," he says.

ENDS

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