Over 26 tonnes of illegally dumped waste has been cleared from a site along the South Wairarapa coast at an enormous cost to the Council and ratepayers.

The work took place between Tuesday 27 May and Friday 13 June and was carried out with the assistance of the Environmental Protection Authority, the police and specialist contractors, who abseiled down to the illegal dumping site due to its inaccessible location.

“Dumping this incredible amount of waste is enormously irresponsible and disappointing. The 26 tonnes of waste included 3.7 tonnes of scrap metal, including bikes and whiteware, both of which are free to dispose of at transfer stations across the South Wairarapa. The overall cost came in at approximately $145,000, which is about $50,000 less than originally forecast,” says South Wairarapa District Council Chief Executive Janice Smith.

This illegal dump site was situated along Cape Palliser Road on the edge of a forestry block. It was cleared on an urgent recommendation from the Environmental Protection Authority.

The car that was recovered has been referred to the responsible insurance company and other items with identifiable names and addresses have been passed onto the Council’s regulatory team to follow up.

Why illegal dumping is a serious issue

• Discarded waste can pose dangers to people, especially when it contains harmful materials such as glass, metal and hazardous matter.

• Cleaning up illegally dumped rubbish is expensive for councils and ratepayers.

• Abandoned waste can damage ecosystems; pollute waterways, harm wildlife and degrade soil and plant life.

• Dumping has a negative impact on the community and can lower the appeal of neighbourhoods.

The site is now permanently blocked off with security cameras in place to monitor it.