Rubbish dump fees protest

Press, 17 April 1980, Page 6

Rubbish dump fees protest

Rubbish contractors met last evening to protest against' a 160 per cent increase in rubbish tip charges. The Christchurch Metropolitan Refuse Disposal Committee has recommended a doubling of charges from April 1 for the dumping of refuse by commercial contractors. The commercial charge for up to two tonnes will increase from $4 to $8; from $8 to $l6 for two to five tonnes; and from $l2 to $24 for . more than five tonnes. Further increases have been recommended for October and April, 1981. A delegation of contractors will meet members of the refuse disposal committee today to protest against the increased tip charges. The Waimairi County Council has deferred approval of the new charges until

after the meeting today. The Heathcote County Council has approved the charges subject to a decision by the refuse committee after the meeting. The contractors are angry that they had not received earlier notification of the charges. They say that they are being bulldozed into accepting price increases that contractors and industry cannot afford. Some say they have contracts with no provision to deal with inflation, and which cannot cover a 100 per cent increase in tip charges. The contractors want the refuse committee and councils involved to justify the new charges. The 13 contractors at the meeting, representatives of 10 firms, formed themselves into the Canterbury Rubbish Contractors’ Association.