Tighter tip dumping rules

Press, 25 May 1989, Page 16

Tighter tip dumping rules

Indiscriminate dumping and people getting extra entrance keys cut has led the Ellesmere County Council to tighten the rules at the Springston and Killinchy refuse tips. The county engineer, Mr Ray Anderson, said the council was becoming increasingly concerned about the dispoal of refuse at the two pits. Previously people were able to buy a key to the dumps to allow easy availability to tip facilities under a system of mutual trust. People without keys could use the tips during opening hours. “Regrettably it has been noted that a significant number of people

are not observing a reasonable attitude to this availability,” Mr Anderson said.

The key system is to be abandoned and refuse can be dumped under supervision during restricted hours. Mr Anderson said as well as cutting extra keys, some people dumped their rubbish indiscriminately, rather than in the areas indicated.

To encourage at-home rubbish treatment, such as composting, and to discourage people travelling from as far away as Kaiapoi, dumping charges are being increased.

While the council recognises that this could

lead to an increase in indiscriminate dumping, the charges are lower than elsewhere and do not recover the total cost of refuse disposal, Mr Anderson said.

He said a strong line would be taken over unauthorised dumping with offenders risking possible prosecution and the cost of refuse removal.

Generally the attitude towards household rubbish collection was good. However, ratepayers were reminded to put rubbish in the standard bags rather than a series of small bags which could blow away or be ripped by animals, Mr Anderson said.