Rubbish bag system to stay

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 677, 11 March 1997, Page 5

Rubbish bag system to stay

Rubbish collection in Ohakune is still a subject of debate at the Ruapehu District Council table, with councillors debating again solutions to the problems for the town. Cr Bob Peck moved a resolution that would have seen the contractor picking up all types of rubbish bags, not just official bags. But after much debate, his motion was lost and the status quo endorsed by the council. At the heart of the matter is the problem of visitors who are not aware of the Ruapehu system, who leave their rubbish on the street in unofficial bags, but then leave town not knowing that they have left a problem behind. Mr Peck suggested that when a contractor picked up an unofficial bag, they leave

a sticker or a note explaining the rules. "It takes longer for the contractor to put a sticker (that explains why a bag was not picked up) on a bag than it would for him to pick it up," he said. Council chief executive Cliff Houston told the council that such a move would undermine the system in that if anyone ran out of official bags, they would most likely buy unofficial bags rather than pay the higher priced official bags. The council bags are dearer because the price includes the cost of collection and dumping. Cr Warren Furner said the system was now working well in National Park and that it would settle down in Ohakune too. Environmental asset manager Suzienne Slegers said in practice bags are not left out Turn to Page 6

Official rubbish bag system to stay

From Page 5 "for weeks on end" and that officers attempted to contact dumpers to explain the system. Altemative systems were also discussed. Providing official stickers so that any bag could be used was ruled out, because councillors believed it was unlikely that they would reach the hands of people staying in chalets. "People renting out chalets may not have much contact with the people staying in them," said Ms Slegers. Mobile garbage bins, or wheelie bins, were ruled out as in many cases there would not be anyone to wheel a bin away after a visitor had left. Commercial rubbish collection was also discussed, with councillors told that before the bag system, some businesses were putting out very large amounts of rubbish but paying only the same rate as residential ratepayers, thus their service was cross-subsidised.