Hauraki residents will lose their recycling bins if they're not diligent as a new programme aimed to decrease contamination rates kicks off on September 1.
Contamination levels across the district have risen to approximately 27%, a sharp rise from a 3% rate pre-Covid. At rates greater than 10%, group manager service delivery, Adrian de Laborde, said the entire truckload can become un-recyclable.
The first infringement of incorrect items sees a tag issued along with an education booklet as to what is and isn’t recyclable, de Laborde said.
Stages two and three come with tags along with formal and final warning letters respectively. The fourth and final stage has council confiscate the bin for six to 12 months, with clear recycling bags issued to the resident and only returned when "the required number of correct collections has been achieved".
"It's education first and supporting our communities to get back to where they were previously, which was one of the best around at the time," de Laborde said.`
"Once they’re able to correctly understand what is appropriate and what is not, they’ll be able to get their bins back."
The district has had its fair share of problems with waste, with council spending $700,000 all up on the failed 'Big Belly' bins, with community misuse playing a role, Adams previously told Waikato Times.
The programme’s initial cost won’t come at the expense of the ratepayer, de Laborde said, as it is covered by the Government’s waste minimisation fund.
Queries were raised about the enforcement of the programme by councillors, with Stephen Crooymans asking what happens if “I’ve got a couple of neighbours I don’t like and I chuck some batteries in their rubbish”?
“My daughter lives in Waihī town and I’ve actually seen neighbours go and put crap in,” councillor Des Tyler added.
A suggestion by Adams for residents to use rubber bin locks to discourage that behaviour was made in discussion, likening it to how a locked house is much harder to break into.
De Laborde added "neighbours at war" is the exception rather than the rule and would be assessed on an case-by-case basis. He was confident the community has responded to the education positively once before and is confident they will again.
Deputy mayor Paul Milner shared the sentiment, saying he expects "90-95% on one strike will get the message".
"If we leave it with just no strikes and education, we'll just slowly get worse and worse over time," he added.
De Laborde confirmed staff will be dispatched in teams to avoid individuals facing abuse from residents, with chief executive David Spiers adding "we definitely won’t put individual staff in those situations".
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including the US-Iran conflict ramps up, there's an update on cut off Kaikōura and Prince Harry acts the goat. (Source: Breakfast)
SHARE ME