2 October 2018
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Illegally dumped rubbish at Utuhina stream
Inquiry
The reporter sought clarification on an issue with illegally dumped rubbish at Utuhina stream and also sought general information about what people should do when they stumble upon a mess.
The case of Utuhina stream is that a resident reported the rubbish on August 23.
Smart environment have told her they went out to clean it up on August 31 after the resident had sent a second email with photographs.
They have said "Due to the reserve being so wet , muddy and damp we have had trouble cleaning up the rest. Our vehicles equipped for the clean up we haven't been able to get safely into the reserve. Our manager at Council and Operational Manager here are trying to organise to borrow a wide tread vehicle into the reserve to get the clean up on the way. Im sorry that you have felt ignored, and this clean up is still being actioned and hopefully to be finished ASAP"
We are now into October and the resident is worried it will never happen.
- How soon will the mess be cleaned up?
- Why hasn't it been done already?
- How often is the Utuhina Stream bank cleared out?
- How many reports has the council received about dumping here?
Response
From Infrastructure General Manager Stavros Michael -
This particular area of Linton Park reserve is a hot spot for illegal dumping and Council's waste contractor Smart Environmental have carried out clean ups 17 times since February this year.
Green waste such as lawn and tree clippings seems to make up a large portion which is disheartening when it costs nothing for people to compost in their own backyards.
As we have said previously we want to encourage residents to look for alternatives to dumping like scrap metal yards, second hand stores if the items are still in good condition, or sharing trailers and the cost of taking it to landfill. Also consider asking a friend, neighbour or another member of your whānau if they have space in their wheelie bin.
Illegal dumping is a community problem and people have to take personal responsibility for doing the right thing in disposing of the waste they generate.
From Smart Environmental Rotorua Area Manager Scott Brown -
We endeavour to respond to customer requests as soon as we receive them. However rubbish is often dumped out of sight and in places that are difficult to access meaning clean ups don't always happen straight away.
There are locations such as stream edges and hill sides that require specialist equipment or the right weather to be able to remove the rubbish.
Since Christina Kaiser's first request in August our teams have visited the area four times and cleaned up about two tonnes of dumped waste. The latest visit was on 26 September, after Christina supplied photos to help the contractors locate the rubbish, and our staff emailed Christina a progress update on that day.
The reserve is quite boggy so it is very difficult to access some of the rubbish without damaging the reserve or getting stuck. We are disappointed about the amount of rubbish that is dumped around the district and we will be cleaning this particular area up as soon as we can.
Further info:
Illegally dumped rubbish can be reported to Council via our 24 hour phone line on 07 348 4199, emailed to info@rotorualc.nz or via the Council's Facebook page with the type of rubbish, how much and exact locations. It's not essential but it is really helpful if people can supply pictures of the rubbish especially if it is in a hard to find area.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Anti-social behaviour at Rotorua Tree Trust
Inquiry
The reporter sought comment from Council following information from a resident who walks through the Tree Trust almost daily who says she's concerned about people parking up there and doing drugs in their cars.
She says not only do they leave behind equipment used for smoking drugs (cans, lighters, pots with residue inside) but they also leave litter (takeaway wrappers, cigarette butts, tissues etc).
She's calling for the police to do more patrols there and I am seeking comment from them. Given the Tree Trust comes under the council, I'd like to ask the following.
- Has this issue ever been brought to the attention of the council? Are you aware of this problem?
- Will the council look to visit the area more regularly to look out for this with a view to report anything suspicious to the police?
Response
Please attribute to Sport, Recreation and Environment Manager, Rob Pitkethley:
We have received no reports about suspicious behaviour recently. However, there were a few reports of anti-social behaviour at the Kotuku Street car park about 18-months ago, which led to the installation of a gate that is locked at night. We encourage anyone who is concerned about suspicious behaviour to contact the police.
