If you think that there’s no need to be bothered about Christchurch rubbish illegal dumping because we have in the city the council’s regular waste pickup schedule, you’re wrong because right now, rubbish of all types is being dumped illegally not only in Christchurch but also to the city’s neighboring districts and towns.
According to Otago Daily Times, illegal dumping is now being done all over New Zealand while taxpayers pay for those who are cleaning the roadsides, beaches, city streets and parks that are commonly littered with rubbish. As such, the government is paying millions of dollars for the cleanups just to keep the public safe and to keep the environment clean.
Meanwhile, in Christchurch, “fly-tipping” is beginning to bother us living in the city because it has been observed that illegal waste dumping has crept up into the city’s neighborhoods and the practice is increasing almost every day. Fly-tipping is a British word that means “dumping of waste illegally”.
So what is illegal rubbish dumping particularly in New Zealand?
Illegal rubbish dumping is simply the dumping of rubbish on public property which is against environmental laws and the protection of the public from pollution. However, what is happening now with unlawful rubbish dumping also happens on private properties where people leave their waste on private land when no one is around. And what is more concerning is that not only general waste is being thrown out illegally but also large items such as old whiteware and furniture including bagged rubbish and construction waste.
Unfortunately, there are no real laws that allow for apprehending individuals who are practicing illegal dumping of waste in New Zealand. Also, very few are getting caught which makes apprehension seemingly impossible. However, some officials in Auckland are proposing many resolutions including apprehending those who are caught doing the illegal acts and making them clean up their mess while penalizing them for hundreds of dollars. If this will be successful, these will be proposed into laws and will be imposed across the country.
Another proposal presented to prevent this illegal practice is to prosecute individuals under the Litter Act of 1979 which states that any serious and repetitive offenders shall be fined up to $30,000 by the law. This Act was established by the Ministry of Environment and promulgated by the government of New Zealand years ago to abate and control people from littering particularly with rubbish and large junk that contain hazardous materials. And under this Act, enforcement officials should act as watchers and can apprehend people and bring them to court. Unfortunately, this law still remains inactive and is not being enforced successfully.
On the other hand, there are some councilors who are opposed to these proposals and instead suggest reducing the dumping fees imposed by the councils’ transfer stations that prevent many people from paying because of high costs. Because of this, rubbish removal in Christchurch imposed by the council appears to be inconsistent because illegal dumping of waste still exists.
For example, illegal bed and mattress disposal, as well as illegal appliance disposal, are still happening inside and outside the city, particularly on many vacant lots and concealed areas where no one can see the perpetrators doing their illegal stuff. So the problem is how we can control this bad practice and how we can be of help to stop it. Known as the junkman in Christchurch we are also part of the waste control program of the city.
Commercial establishments, manufacturing businesses and even small shops are some of the large contributors to waste in any region. But some of the bulk of waste, especially the large types of junk like appliances and furniture mainly comes from the residences. So here are some of the junk that we commonly found from households but can cause problems when illegally dumped:
CFC means Chlorofluorocarbons and these are the types of chemicals that contain many kinds of organic compounds such as fluorine, carbon, hydrogen and chlorine. Most of the appliances that we use in our homes contain CFCs like freezers, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, and air conditioners.
CFCs are not actually toxic and only serve as propellants. But when appliance disposal is done improperly, the compounds of these appliances can be released into the earth’s atmosphere and can damage the ozone layer. This ozone layer is the protective layer that shields the earth from the UV rays coming from the sun and prevents the earth from becoming too hot. In short, the CFCs can serve as a contributor to global warming. This is why proper whiteware disposal is very important in preventing possible natural catastrophes.
Electronics can include appliances equipped with printed circuit boards and these boards mainly contain mercury in switches, lead from solder, heavy metals, and lithium batteries. Old CRT televisions also contain lead, barium, fluorescent powders and cadmium which are considered highly toxic e-waste that if you get exposed to can cause muscle weakness, anemia, brain damage and damages to internal organs such as the kidneys and brain. Pregnant women are also very susceptible to these kinds of toxic waste as it can affect the unborn’s nervous system. This is the main reason why illegal dumping of electronics in Christchurch is a big no-no and should be prevented.
Do you think that home furniture that are made from wood and other materials don’t contribute to the pollution that happens around the world? Most furniture is made of treated wood and the chemicals being used for treatment can be chromated copper arsenicals or CCA, Pentachlorophenol or sometimes Creosote. Pentachlorophenol is a kind of wood preservative to keep boring insects from getting into the wood so it is some kind of a pesticide. Being a pesticide, it can be dangerous when inhaled during the manufacturing of furniture or if the treated wood gets wet, the wastewater coming from it can cause skin irritations.
Creosote is a kind of tar that is used for preserving telephone poles and marine lumber and contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that can also cause cancer to humans when exposed to it. Most furniture is also made with a combination of metals, plastic, glasses and nails. So if you dump your furniture illegally , this can cause injuries to people. Sad thing is, it takes decades before furniture parts can break down so proper furniture disposal should always be observed.
One of the most common scenarios with illegal dumping in Christchurch is mattress disposal. Mattresses and beds are generally made of foams, wood, plastics, metal springs, and other composites. And unfortunately, there are very few companies that accept bedroom furniture for recycling. Disposal of them thru donation is also fairly difficult once these items get old.
Yet, the modern mattresses today are made of mostly synthetic materials mixed with polyurethane, latex and treated cotton. However, if these are burned they can release 61 types of organic compounds that include carcinogenic compounds like benzene and naphthalene. And in terms of decomposition, it will take years before these synthetic materials can decay. Also, wild animals tend to live in these items, they also tend to shred and scatter the materials and these can cause obstructions in our waterways, irrigation canals and other bodies of water.
Among home furniture, the coaches or sofas are some of the things that we see getting dumped in many parts of Christchurch. We know that they also release toxic fumes once their foam and synthetic materials get heated up by the sun. The same with beds and mattresses, once wild animals have a taste of their foams by gnawing them out, their foamy materials can spread out affecting our waterways.
Nonetheless, even though we have an active Christchurch rubbish removal in the city, unfortunately, you only have two quick options for disposing of old couches and this is by taking them to the transfer station or hiring us, the junkman in Christchurch, to do the hauling and disposal for you by legal process.
One of the goals is helping Christchurch to maintain a clean and safe place for everybody by taking the burden off people’s shoulders in disposing of their large waste like appliances, furniture and any large items that need to be thrown out. To help you understand what we’re saying, you can visit our site and see the kind of waste removal services we offer and check the list of household items that we collect.
Our service is simple. Whenever you have a problem disposing of large household junk, you only need to contact us through phone or through our website. To check on the items we pick up, just click the “Items To Be Picked Up” button and you’ll be presented with a list of the household items with corresponding sizes and price tags.
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Why we are known as “junkman in Christchurch ” is because we not only provide waste disposal service in this city but we are now expanding our services to neighboring towns like Rolleston and Rangiora. Rolleston is under the district of Selwyn while Rangiora is under the Waimakariri district, two separate areas but both are expanding really rapidly.
Bed and Mattress Disposal
Because beds and mattresses require a lot of time to disassemble to recycle their parts, not many people would want to do the task thus some of these items land either at the transfer stations or somewhere else where they can be another illegal dumping in Christchurch case.
Appliance Disposal
Appliances are not very hard to dispose of because if it’s still in good condition, it can be easily accepted by humanitarian organizations as donations or you can even sell it cheaply. You can also disassemble and sell its parts or take it to a junk shop for recycling. But then all of these require your effort and time so if you cannot donate or recycle or can’t be bothered to take your appliances to the dump because of their bulk and weight, all you need to do is contact us and we’ll pick up the appliances for you and dispose of them accordingly.
Furniture Disposal
Home furniture comes in different types and most of their parts are recyclables. The wood, metal, plastic, composites, foams except textile can be brought to eco drop centers for recycling. But then, disassembling old furniture is a hard job so you may prefer taking it to the dump or giving it out to the junk shops. But if you want faster disposal while you don’t need to do anything, you only have to ask us for the disposal and we’ll be there at your place to get the item/s. 
Illegal dumping of Christchurch rubbish would not be a problem if everyone gets concerned about its effect on our environment and on our families. That’s why even though we are actively pursuing our rubbish removal in Christchurch and educating people on how to dispose of their rubbish or junk properly, we are still battling against the norms and by this we mean the tendency of some people to become irresponsible thru illegal rubbish dumping while expecting others to clean up their mess.
But to repeat what some of the councilors state that one of the reasons why many people avoid taking their junk to the transfer stations is because of the high cost for the dumping, we at rubbishpickup is helping to solve that problem. How? With our single-item pick-up service.
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We at “rubbishpickup.co.nz ” can dispose of your junk as fast as you want it gone. We adhere to our motto “We Come To You” so if your rubbish or junk is not being picked up by your regular waste collection team, trust that we’ll pick it up for you. So worry no more. Christchurch rubbish removal is our job and need not be a problem.
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