Latest news with #LitterAct
Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Hawke's Bay Council Look To Change Litter Act To Crackdown On Fly-Tipping
If a letter with your name on it is found in a pile of rubbish left on the roadside, be prepared for a visit from your local council. Proposed changes to the Litter Act would allow councils to ping fly-tippers long after they have fouled roadsides and private land and caused environmental harm. Large piles of dumped rubbish cost councils around Hawke's Bay thousands of dollars a year to dispose of. Hastings District councillor Wendy Schollum said as the law stood, even when a name and address were found, councils' hands are tied. "Even CCTV footage is not enough," Schollum said. "The dumper has to be caught in the act before we can do anything." That's almost impossible when the fly-tippers use isolated roads or the cover of dark to dump their trash. Schollum said councils were working under a law written in the 1970s, long before the explosion of fast food packaging and the rise in illegal dumping. Under the proposals to amend the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA) and Litter Act 1979 (the Litter Act), litter control officers would be able to issue fines using vehicle registration and ownership details inside rubbish bags to identify dumpers. Councils would also be able to recover clean-up costs from the offender if the dumped rubbish caused significant environmental harm. There would be tiered penalties based on the seriousness of the offence and compensation associated with the costs of removing litter. Schollum said she imagined the council would have a warning system for different degrees of littering. "We won't be turning up at your door waving a big stick. We will need reasonable evidence before taking any action. "Someone throwing rubbish out the car window will not be treated the same as repeat offenders who don't care that ratepayers have to pick up the bill for their actions." Schollum said Hastings had more than 5200km of roads, and many of the worst-hit areas were on NZTA-managed land where the council wasn't allowed to clean up. "What's more, roadside safety rules also block many community-led clean-ups. Which means rubbish builds up, public pride takes a hit, and ratepayers keep footing the bill for the limited clean-up we can legally do," she said. A spokesperson for the Ministry for the Environment said the government was progressing changes to make waste legislation more effective, clear and consistent. The changes would replace the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and the Litter Act 1979, aiming to reduce inefficiencies and clarify the roles of central and local government and the waste sector. "The proposals are based on building on and improving existing legislation, to ensure it is fit for purpose," the spokesperson said. Schollum said the proposed amendments were important. "This is exactly the kind of smart, enforceable change our communities need." Consultations on the proposals closed on 1 June. The ministry spokesperson said feedback from the consultation would help inform further policy work and the drafting process it would undertake with the Parliamentary Counsel Office.
1News
6 days ago
- 1News
Fly tipping: Name on a letter in pile of roadside rubbish? Be ready for a fine
If a letter with your name on it is found in a pile of rubbish left on the roadside, be prepared for a visit from your local council. Proposed changes to the Litter Act would allow councils to ping fly-tippers long after they have fouled roadsides and private land and caused environmental harm. Large piles of dumped rubbish cost councils around Hawke's Bay thousands of dollars a year to dispose of. But Hastings District councillor Wendy Schollum said, as the law stands, even when a name and address are found, councils' hands are tied. 'Even CCTV footage is not enough,' Schollum said. ADVERTISEMENT 'The dumper has to be caught in the act before we can do anything.' Cold coming, PM's press secretary scandal, science of sleep (Source: 1News) That's almost impossible when the fly-tippers use isolated roads or the cover of dark to dump their trash. Schollum said councils were working under a law written in the 1970s, long before the explosion of fast food packaging and the rise in illegal dumping. Under the proposed Responsibility for Reducing Waste Act, litter control officers would be able to issue fines using vehicle registration and ownership details inside rubbish bags to identify dumpers. Councils would also be compensated by the offender if the dumped rubbish caused significant environmental harm. Rubbish dumped on the Hawke's Bay Expressway near Kennedy Rd. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) ADVERTISEMENT There would be tiered penalties based on the seriousness of the offence and compensation associated with the costs of removing litter. Schollum said she imagined the council would have a warning system for different degrees of littering. 'We won't be turning up at your door waving a big stick. We will need reasonable evidence before taking any action. 'Someone throwing rubbish out the car window will not be treated the same as repeat offenders who don't care that ratepayers have to pick up the bill for their actions.' Schollum said Hastings had more than 5200km of roads, and many of the worst-hit areas were on NZTA-managed land where the council wasn't allowed to clean up. 'What's more, roadside safety rules also block many community-led clean-ups. Which means rubbish builds up, public pride takes a hit, and ratepayers keep footing the bill for the limited clean-up we can legally do,' she said. A spokesperson for the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) said the Government is progressing changes to make waste legislation more effective, clear and consistent. ADVERTISEMENT The changes would replace the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and the Litter Act 1979, aiming to reduce inefficiencies and clarify the roles of central and local government and the waste sector. 'The proposals are based on building on and improving existing legislation, to ensure it is fit for purpose,' the spokesperson said. Schollum said the proposed Responsibility for Reducing Waste Act was important. 'This is exactly the kind of smart, enforceable change our communities need.' Consultations on the proposals closed on June 1. The MfE spokesperson said feedback from the consultation will help inform further policy work and the drafting process it will undertake with the Parliamentary Counsel Office. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- RNZ News
Hawke's Bay council look to change Litter Act to crackdown on fly-tipping
Hastings District Council councillor Wendy Schollum says proposed changes to the Litter Act would allow litter control officers to issue fines using vehicle registration and ownership details inside bags to identify dumpers. Photo: LDR/Supplied If a letter with your name on it is found in a pile of rubbish left on the roadside, be prepared for a visit from your local council. Proposed changes to the Litter Act would allow councils to ping fly-tippers long after they have fouled roadsides and private land and caused environmental harm. Large piles of dumped rubbish cost councils around Hawke's Bay thousands of dollars a year to dispose of. But Hastings District councillor Wendy Schollum said, as the law stands, even when a name and address are found, councils' hands are tied. "Even CCTV footage is not enough," Schollum said. "The dumper has to be caught in the act before we can do anything." That's almost impossible when the fly-tippers use isolated roads or the cover of dark to dump their trash. Schollum said councils were working under a law written in the 1970s, long before the explosion of fast food packaging and the rise in illegal dumping. Under the proposed Responsibility for Reducing Waste Act, litter control officers would be able to issue fines using vehicle registration and ownership details inside rubbish bags to identify dumpers. Councils would also be compensated by the offender if the dumped rubbish caused significant environmental harm. There would be tiered penalties based on the seriousness of the offence and compensation associated with the costs of removing litter. Rubbish dumped on the Hawke's Bay Expressway near Kennedy Rd. Photo: LDR/supplied Schollum said she imagined the council would have a warning system for different degrees of littering. "We won't be turning up at your door waving a big stick. We will need reasonable evidence before taking any action. "Someone throwing rubbish out the car window will not be treated the same as repeat offenders who don't care that ratepayers have to pick up the bill for their actions." Schollum said Hastings had more than 5200km of roads, and many of the worst-hit areas were on NZTA-managed land where the council wasn't allowed to clean up. "What's more, roadside safety rules also block many community-led clean-ups. Which means rubbish builds up, public pride takes a hit, and ratepayers keep footing the bill for the limited clean-up we can legally do," she said. A spokesperson for the Ministry for the Environment said the government was progressing changes to make waste legislation more effective, clear and consistent. The changes would replace the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 and the Litter Act 1979, aiming to reduce inefficiencies and clarify the roles of central and local government and the waste sector. "The proposals are based on building on and improving existing legislation, to ensure it is fit for purpose," the spokesperson said. Schollum said the proposed Responsibility for Reducing Waste Act was important. "This is exactly the kind of smart, enforceable change our communities need." Consultations on the proposals closed on June 1. The Ministry for the Environment spokesperson said feedback from the consultation would help inform further policy work and the drafting process it would undertake with the Parliamentary Counsel Office. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- General
- NZ Herald
Fly-tipping crackdown: If your name's on a letter inside a pile of roadside rubbish, get ready for a fine
Hastings District Council councillor Wendy Schollum says proposed changes to the Litter Act would allow litter control officers to issue fines using vehicle registration and ownership details inside bags to identify dumpers. If a letter with your name on it is found in a pile of rubbish left on the roadside, be prepared for a visit from your local council. Proposed changes to the Litter Act would allow councils to ping fly-tippers long after they have fouled roadsides and private land and
Scoop
25-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
NZ's First Chance In 20 Years To Catch Up On Waste
Press Release – Zero Waste Network Countries around the world already have these schemes in place and are realising remarkable results. New Zealand should follow the best examples from around the world and create a producer responsibility framework that works for both reuse and high The Government has announced proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Kiwis have a chance to catch up with other countries to reduce our waste and litter. However, last week's budget slashed funding for innovations that reduce waste, an illogical move that risks hobbling the government's own waste proposals before they are out of the starting gate. 'Our waste and litter laws are really old, so we've fallen well behind most similar countries. Future-proofing how we reduce waste is really popular, with 60% of us wanting more effective reuse and recycling, ' says Sue Coutts of the Zero Waste Network Aotearoa. The current Waste Act was passed in 2008 and the Litter Act in 1979. 'The proposed law update is a good move to a clear, fair way of reducing waste, in which those who make or import packaging pay for how it's handled. This is known as 'extended producer responsibility' or 'product stewardship'. With this proposed law update, we could get a container deposit return scheme for the 2+ billion beverage containers we use every year.' 'It would also open the door to more stewardship schemes for e-waste, textiles, and all types of packaging.' 'Countries around the world already have these schemes in place and are realising remarkable results. New Zealand should follow the best examples from around the world and create a producer responsibility framework that works for both reuse and high quality recycling.' 'We need waste solutions that deliver real measurable results for our environment, communities and economy. Extended producer responsibility takes the burden off ratepayers and councils, while creating jobs and income streams for communities and keeping valuable resources in use.' 'With waste levy revenues returned to waste cutting innovation, and more ambition from our MPs to modernise how we reduce waste and litter, we can put the systems in place to effectively deal with resources before they become waste.'
