From mattresses to marijuana: Auckland’s illegal dumping grows

Frustrations are growing as illegal dumping plagues Auckland and leaves ratepayers with a multi-million-dollar bill.

Cars, fridges, toxic waste and up to 500 mattresses per month are among the items being cleaned up across the city.

Reg Walker, contracts manager with Eco Maintenance, says nothing surprises him anymore.

“We get a lot of sheep carcasses. We've had a cow once dumped on a beach in Kawakawa Bay somewhere.

“Cars, half cars, boats, dinghies with holes in them. Marijuana, just the pots and the stalks.”

There are more than 1300 reports per month of illegal dumping in Auckland - more than 40 on average per day.

Walker says fridges are a common item, and up to 500 mattresses a month.

“The problem is they're quite bulky, and when they get wet, they're heavy as well.”

Auckland Council’s cost for collecting and disposing of illegal waste in the 2024 financial year was $2.7 million, a rise of $200,000 each year since 2022.

Walker says a lot of illegal dumping is happening in remote roadside areas, outside the public view.

“These are mainly in reserves and parks, or down these undeveloped areas, and non-residential areas.

“We've had to abseil down banks to collect these items that have just been thrown down from the top of a lookout.”

Additional costs are incurred when there are oversized or dangerous items.

“With a piano, this would be quite large and heavy as well, so if we come across that, then we've got to probably get four guys out there to winch that onto a truck.

“We have people dumping asbestos, hazardous waste, clumps of oil.”

A discarded piano left in a public area, contributing to the city’s illegal dumping problem. Photo/supplied

All of these actions increase costs for the ratepayer, Walker says.

“If it's rubbish down the bank, if it's on a main 80kmh road, then we've got to organise traffic management as well. That there could be a cost of two grand for the traffic management and $1000 for the abseiling.”

Justine Haves, general manager of waste solutions at Auckland Council, says they are taking proactive steps to address the issue.

“Council has spent approximately $7500 on surveillance camera setups. Over the past three years, marketing campaigns to increase awareness and prevent illegal dumping have cost $174,000.

"A further $5600 has been spent on investigation stickers and $5200 on signs to deter illegal dumping.”

In the nine months until the end of March 2025, 375 fines have been issued, totalling $123,950.

Sheep carcasses are among the more disturbing items found dumped. Photo/supplied

Haves says each situation is unique, but the infringement notices make a difference.

“If identified, we may be successful in getting the individual to remove the items, in which case there are no collection and disposal costs.”

But Walker says there’s a mixed success rate.

“Most of these are outside people's houses and they see that it's been investigated and stickered, so then they remove [the rubbish] themselves, whereas, unless there's actual evidence found, it's quite hard to prosecute anyone.”

The Māngere-Otāhuhu Local Board has a project to tackle construction waste, and there are local clean up groups across Māngere, Otāhuhu, Manurewa, and Ōtara.

An oversized tyre dumped illegally in Auckland. Photo/supplied

Community education is being used to raise awareness about inorganic waste collections, and signs have been placed in dumping hotspots along with letterbox flyers advising where to take unwanted items.

A new mana whenua-led initiative in Māngere also focuses on iwi-led monitoring to prevent illegal dumping.

The Tyrewise collection service was started last year, where unwanted tyres can be disposed of at collection stations.

If you see anyone dumping rubbish, report it and Auckland Council will investigate. Call 0800 NO DUMP (0800 663 867). This number operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.