Before you fire up the lawnmower and weed eater, make sure you have a plan to dispose of your green waste responsibly.

That’s the message from Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s waste team after catching on CCTV one member of the public making their green waste Council’s problem. 

“We recently caught a man dropping a huge pile of grass clippings on the side of Bell Road, which is so disappointing, and also unsafe,” says council’s solid waste contract manager Tony Wilson.

“If you’re caught, we’ll be passing on the clean-up fee for what you’ve left behind, which in some cases can total $400. That’s why it’s important to dump your waste properly. It’s cheaper in the long run, plus, it’s better for our environment.

“Dumping of pest weeds, such as Agapanthus or Jasmine is also illegal and a major risk to our environment. We are concerned this behaviour could cause pest weeds to spread throughout the District – and we don’t want that.”

There are several ways you can dispose of your green waste. In the WBOP District, residential green waste can be taken to our recycle centres at Te Puke, Katikati and Athenree, as well as the green waste centre in Ōmokoroa.

Transfer Station on Truman Lane in Mount Maunganui is another nearby option available. Commercial operators can provide bins and collections to some homes for a fee too.

Tony says most of our community is disposing of their green waste responsibly, which is great. However, the few getting it wrong are costing the Council, and ratepayers, an increasing amount of money every year.

“Aside from spreading pest weeds and costing lots, illegal dumping can also block drains, which impacts aquatic plants and animals. It can also be an eyesore, and we want our community to be proud of clean District.”

For other waste, residents are encouraged to use Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) tags and kerbside bins. Not sure which bin to put something in? Use the Kerbside Collective website to find out.

Other waste for landfill that doesn’t fit into your kerbside bins can be taken to Te Maunga Transfer Station.

“We all need to play our part in looking after our environment, so please, do the right thing and dispose of any waste the right and responsible way,” says Tony.

“It starts with knowing what the rights ways are, so we really encourage our Western Bay whānau to do some research and share what you learn with your neighbours. It’s going to take us all working together to divert waste from landfill and to take great care of our environment.”