13 January 2025
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Litter bin removals
Enquiry
Reporter had the following enquiry after receiving council's response on Thursday (9 January) to questions regarding bin removals:
[Part of RLC response stated that:] “We measure from the removal of the litterbins is based on whether or not the litter on the ground is significantly worse than it was before we removed them. 23 x 240L bins is a capacity of 5,520 litres of rubbish per day over the peak summer period. That’s 38,640 litres of rubbish per week if they were all used to full capacity.” If only 10% of that was left behind after the bin removal, that would be 3,860 litres of rubbish. On our monitoring visits [Blue Lake Holiday Park] routinely collect about 2-3 60L bags. The community have also collected similar amounts. As far as we can tell, the litter being left behind at Tikitapu is 1-2% of the available capacity of the bins that were there. This we can manage using alternative means.”
How does the council know how much the community has collected?
If litter is voluntarily picked up and not reported could it not be said then that if this was treated as a test it was flawed and the results skewed?
Did the community know this was a test and therefore how their daily litter clearing could impact the results or how successful the council viewed the bin removal?
Particularly given wasps were the known reason for removal.
What examples are ways the council encourages behavioural change?
It says on the resourceful Rotorua webpage the council planned to remove about 14% of its bins. This is about 103 bins, and there is already 91 removed. How many more are identified in phase 2 for removal?
If the full extent of savings is not known, what was the estimated savings for phase 1?
Response
We provided the following additional comments/info:
How does the council know how much the community has collected?
Answered below.
If litter is voluntarily picked up and not reported could it not be said then that if this wastreated as a test it was flawed and the results skewed?
We can only base our calculations on what we are collecting and what is reported.
Based on the volumes reported, and assuming similar amounts for any unreported litter, the total is still relatively small compared to what was present when the bins were in place. As previously mentioned, the issue isn’t with those who used the bins responsibly but with litterbugs and accidental litter left behind at Tikitapu. This can be addressed in other ways – litter bins have never fully solved this problem.
Prior to the trial, in a typical summer period from 20 December to after Waitangi weekend, the Tikitapu bins could hold up to 231,840 litres of rubbish. Even at 75% capacity, this would amount to 34.7 tonnes of waste.
Currently, we’re not seeing anywhere near these volumes being collected from the ground at Tikitapu. Additionally, we no longer face issues with overflowing bins or wasps.
Event organisers who use the Tikitapu Reserve are responsible for managing their waste and do an excellent job of ensuring all rubbish is contained and removed afterwards. The same principle applies to individuals planning a day out at Tikitapu—most do take their rubbish and recycling with them, something we’re all grateful for.
Did the community know this was a test and therefore how their daily litter clearing could impact the results or how successful the council viewed the bin removal? Particularly given wasps were the known reason for removal.
Council stated at the time the bins were removed that it was a trial to combat an issue with wasps and we asked the community to get on board by taking rubbish and recycling home via our website, social media and signage at the site (see examples below).
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BivvAqcEf/
Wasp are you doing? - Rotorua Lakes Council
21 March 2023 - wasp nests removed
What examples are ways the council encourages behavioural change?
Council uses a range of ways to encourage behaviour change including:
Campaigns that run across RLC’s website and social media channels and that may be repeated and/or ongoing eg our Resourceful Rotorua campaign that ran last year aimed at encouraging people to reduce how much rubbish they generate and to take their rubbish home with them, and our Love Your Place summer campaign encouraging residents and visitors to treasure our environment, keep our community safe, be mindful of water use and keep services running smoothly (see eg at this link: We ran this one over Christmas as part of the Love this Place campaign. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BFyuda96C/)
Campaigns may also run in print media, on radio, billboards and posters.
Signage in eg parks and reserves (eg the signs that were at Tikitapu when the bins were removed due to wasps in 2023)
Community workshops, sometimes in partnership with groups, including relating to rethinking, reusing and reducing waste (eg composting).
Working with community groups and community leaders on the likes of community clean-ups and community gardens.
Working with schools and other agencies in relation to the likes of cycle and road safety (eg Bikes in Schools and Driver Directions).
Stalls at community events and home shows with information and demonstrations.
Providing information in the form of brochures, posters and other collateral.
It says on the resourceful Rotorua webpage the council planned to remove about 14% of its bins. This is about 103 bins, and there is already 91 removed. How many more are identified in phase 2 for removal? Apologies if it's in there somewhere and I've missed it.
We have identified another 54 bins that can be considered for removal or relocation but we will talk to the community before confirming which ones.
If the full extent of savings is not known, what was the estimated savings for phase 1?
We are still in the early stages of the project and some of the current funding is expected to be reallocated to alternative litter control measures, such as increased foot patrols and site monitoring. In the first phase, costs were incurred for new signage and implementation, so we estimate that phase one is currently cost-neutral.
