Two local board members have expressed exasperation over the return of illegal dumping in the Flat Bush area.
Howick Local Board member Mike Turinsky noticed the 
latest incidents of illegal dumping in late October when he accompanied the council small sites ambassador visiting construction sites in Flat Bush.
“Housing development is everywhere with many new houses filling empty lots,” said Turinsky.
“However there is more than just houses filling those empty lots. Piles of household rubbish have been arriving all spring due to illegal dumping.
“I am disgusted by the amount of illegal dumping and I reported it to the Council Call Centre.”
The small sites ambassador programme was commissioned by the Howick Local Board to proactively educate builders on proper environmentally-sound site management.
Last week, fellow board member Peter Young joined Turinsky for another round of site visits. Turinsky and Young encountered a similar scene of illegal dumping whilst visiting construction sites in the Flat Bush area.
Young highlighted the hassle of illegal dumping last year when new developments were being prepared.
“Illegal dumping is so prolific and nothing is being done about it. It is not fair that the responsible builders are having to deal with it on their own,” said Young.
A local resident and builder, who gave his name only as Gorden, recently brought the issue up with Young.
“We builders do not want to leave a skip bin out overnight,” said Gorden.
“People from outside of our area fill it by the morning with illegally dumped rubbish since the change in the council’s inorganics collection scheme. It’s a big hassle for us.”
Building foreman, Chris Zhang, of Zhang and Zhang Construction, told Turinsky that people dump rubbish on the empty lots overnight. “I work hard to keep our site clean, but people just take advantage of us,” Zhang said.
Historically, this was the time of year when the annual inorganics collection commenced.
Previously, Auckland Council would notify residents of their inorganics pick up date and then households simply placed there inorganic rubbish out front of their house.
“Usually my inorganics pile would be reduced by nearly half due to entrepreneurial recyclers putting much of my inorganic collection to good use, avoiding the landfill,” says Turinsky.
Under the current scheme residents must ring council to book a collection time.
“Unfortunately many people are not utilising the current inorganics scheme,” says Turinsky.
“Much of Ormiston has become the latest inorganic dumping ground and we must find a solution,” said Young.
Residents can report illegal dumping by calling the council call centre on 301-0101.
