Nick Smith National Party Environment Spokesman

13 April 2006

National to require campervan holding tanks

National will require all new campervans to have sewerage holding tanks to address the growing problem of roadside pollution, says National's Environment spokesman, Nick Smith.

He made the announcement today at the 50th Jubilee convention of the NZ Motor Home Association in Wanganui.

"There are 25,000 mobile homes in New Zealand, which is the equivalent of a town the size of Wanganui," says Dr Smith.

"Too many do not have holding tanks and the sewerage is just dumped on the roadside. Thank goodness the Motor Home Association has been encouraging members to have certified self-containment facilities.

"The association has been calling for years for this to be a requirement for a warrant of fitness and National is heeding their message.

"This pollution problem is at its worst in our most sensitive areas like Queenstown and Wanaka. Councils are powerless to control motor homes that quickly move from one district to the next. The sensible approach is a national regulation."

Dr Smith says these changes logically follow on from National's requirement, introduced in 1998, that all boats with berthages have holding tanks.

"Labour has been tardy in not demanding the same requirement of camper vans. National will also work closely with local authorities to ensure there are convenient and well signposted dumping stations.

"The practice of dumping raw sewerage on the roadside needs to be consigned to history, " Dr Smith said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media