The Northland Regional Council is warning sports bodies, schools and other organisations not to use waste oil to mark playing fields after coming across the issue in the region recently.

Council Chair Tui Shortland says the council had recently written to sports bodies and codes including rugby, rugby league, hockey, soccer and athletics as well as schools and its district council counterparts warning against the practice.

"The use of waste oil in this way does not comply with the permitted activity rule for discharges to land in the Proposed Regional Plan for Northland."

"Continued discharges to land of waste oil can cause contamination of soils, contaminate ground water and where the application is near stormwater drains the discharge can cause contamination to surface water." "People using the fields may also experience skin irritation and infections if they come into contact with the substance."

"There are also multiple non-hazardous and non-ecotoxic products available specifically designed for marking sports grounds."

The regional council warns future use of waste oil to mark sports grounds may result in formal enforcement action.

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