Concerns aired at rubbish delays

Recycled rubbish has been left uncollected at the kerbside in parts of the Tasman district for up to four days by council contractors Smart Environmental Ltd, leading to many complaints to the council.

Tasman District Council utilities asset manager David Stephenson met contractors on Tuesday to discuss the problem, which has been going on since Christmas.

There have been late collections in parts of Golden Bay, Brightwater, the Moutere Valley, Motueka and Mapua, Mr Stephenson said.

He said the council was "working intensively" with the contractors in a bid to lift their performance, pointing out the company's six-year contract, due for renewal in 16 months, was performance based.

"We are certainly concerned," he said. The problem had been caused because two rubbish collection vehicles had been written off in two accidents just before Christmas. The company had since replaced the vehicles and trained new staff, he said.

In addition, the amount of recycled rubbish put out has doubled over the past two years. In Golden Bay the volume of recyclables had increased from 21 tonnes for January 2008 to 41 tonnes for January this year, Mr Stephenson said.

The issue was discussed at the Golden Bay Community Board meeting in Collingwood on Tuesday, with board member Leigh Gamby saying contractors had failed to collect rubbish on time in Upper Takaka for the past eight weeks.

In some cases, recyclables had been left on the street for up to four days.

"The contractor is failing his contractual obligations and it's not good enough," Mr Gamby said.

It is the second month the issue has been discussed by the board.

Board chairman Joe Bell said he'd also received complaints from people in Western Golden Bay about late kerbside collections and that Golden Bay Rubbish Collection Ltd had helped with the shortfall.

Board members expressed their frustration that the situation had still not improved.

"It's atrocious, particularly in a known tourist area," board member Carolyn McLellan said. In wet or windy weather, rubbish would be spread all over the road, she said.

Board members were concerned that recyclables were ending up in landfill but Mr Stephenson denied this had occurred. Most rubbish sorting was done at the kerb, but with late collections the recyclables were sorted at the transfer stations, he said.

No-one from Smart Environmental Ltd was available for comment.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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