Tauranga Labour list MP Jan Tinetti is calling on individuals, businesses and councils to up their game when it comes to the disposal and clean-up of rubbish around the city.

'It's something I have really noticed lately, the increasing amount of rubbish on the sides of roads, behind retail shops, in supermarket carparks, around building sites and near industrial areas and it's spoiling the look and health of our beautiful local environment.

'I saw a pile of car parts dumped on the side of the road in Welcome Bay the other day and with the strong winds over the past few weeks there has been a lot of cardboard and plastic packaging blowing around near the industrial areas, this waste needs to be securely stored until it can be recycled or properly disposed of.”
Jan says everybody needs to be more responsible for the rubbish they create.

She says the amount of rubbish on the sides of state highways is particularly bad.

'Being on the coast, we need to be especially careful as a lot of this waste will end up in our waterways.

'We all know how damaging this is to our marine life and our ability to use our waterways safely for swimming and other water-sports which many of us enjoy doing in the Bay.”

The Government is doing a lot of work around waste minimisation, product stewardship.

'Last week we announced a comprehensive plan to clean up our waterways which is great but I think there is also a lot that we can be doing locally.

'Our neighbouring town Waihi has been announced as one of the finalists in the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards for the most beautiful small town because of the community's ongoing efforts to keep the town clean.

'It would be great if in the future Tauranga could be named as one of the finalists for the most beautiful city.”