DISGUSTING - rubbish dumped on coastline
Tracey Vickers-Anderson's blood boils each time she sees rubbish dumped along the coastline near Waianakarua Rd.
Two large rubbish bags containing nappies, milk bottles and documents were recently dumped off a bank.
"They are so sly when they do it," she said.
"It's disgusting, because the sea is a food source and a job source."
Dolphins had been seen recently swimming near the Waianakarua river mouth and Mrs Vickers-Anderson is worried the rubbish will become fatal for marine life.
"There is a lot that is going out there," she said.
She has been living near the coastline for a year and a half and said illegal dumping was continually an issue.
When the Oamaru Mail visited the area yesterday, smashed glass littered one area of the bank, along with garden waste, mag wheels and general rubbish.
"It's the worst I've seen down here," Mrs Vickers-Anderson said. "And they wonder why there is all that algae in the river."
Mrs Vickers-Anderson said tourists often drove down Waianakarua Rd and she is worried they will start thinking it is okay to dump their rubbish on the side of the road too.
"People need to be more vigilant about it and be aware that this is going on," she said.
Mrs Vickers-Anderson said if she met those dumping the rubbish "I would just dump all of this back on their lawn. They have no values and no respect for anything."
Waitaki District Council regulatory services manager Steven May said dumping rubbish came at a price.
The council can hand out an infringement notice of $300 or the offender could be taken to court where a $3000 fine was possible.
Mr May had not seen the rubbish but has been sent photographs.
"I think for this type of rubbish to be left on the roadside by the beach where it is easily accessible, it's very irresponsible," he said. "It is a potential health risk."
He welcomes those who have dumped the rubbish to come forward to reach a resolution.
