Council to spend $30,000 cleaning up dumped rubbish

 

A Kaipara District Council contractor recently identified a large tomo on Spur Road, south of Te Kopuru, which was filled with illegally dumped rubbish. 

Further investigation of the area has revealed the tomo (which was a cave) is a historic site and once served as a church and a cookhouse for the local Dalmatian community who populated the area.

Due to the size of the tomo, the amount of rubbish needing to be removed, and health and safety risks associated with disease and retrieving the rubbish, it has taken some time to organise clean up. 

A removal crew started clearing the area on Friday August 10, with the work expected to take two weeks. 

The estimated clean-up cost will be around $30,000 of which around $10,000 is landfill disposal. 

So far nine people have been identified using evidence recovered by searching what would be years of dumped waste, household rubbish, recycling and general refuse. 

Investigations will continue throughout the removal, with infringement notices to be issued to those found to have dumped rubbish illegally. 
The maximum penalty under the public litter act is $5000.

Contractors have taken about 30 tonnes of rubbish and contaminated soil directly to the Whangarei refuse station.