A frustrated Auckland resident is urging illegal dumpers to not be a “d***”, as he’s sick of seeing rubbish strewn outside the Salvation Army store in New Lynn.
Michael Poh said it’s been a daily problem as long as he’s lived in the area for the past three or four years.
“Please, don’t be a d***,” he urged the people responsible for the piles of rubbish.
A local board representative said she understands the community’s frustration with the dumping, but the council can’t act as it is a private carpark.
Poh said the dumped rubbish has an impact on charitable efforts, and it doesn’t just happen in his area.
“[The Salvation Army] is trying to help people that are in need, so people that are really down in the dumps,” he said.
“But now they have to put all this expense into putting your garbage into the dump.”
Staff also spend time and effort to get rid of other people’s waste, he said.
During his morning walk, Poh posted a photo on the New Lynn community Facebook page of discarded donated goods in front of the store.
By the time he took the photo, he said, part of the pile had already been cleared.
Poh said he has seen it three times worse, with rubbish spilling onto the footpath and blocking nearby businesses.
“And every morning, every day it gets cleared, every night it gets filled up again.”
Poh questioned whether illegal dumpers just copy other’s bad behaviour.
“They’ve put posters up there saying, no dumping, it’s illegal, we’ll fine you, we’ll put it into the police, but nothing really deters it.”
Poh said he sees dumped clothes, furniture, and appliances – rain or shine.
“So if it rains, I don’t think you can use it all; it’s all soiled.”
The videographer urged people to donate goods properly. He also believes the community needs to come up with a creative solution to resolve this issue.
Local Democracy Reporting visited the New Lynn Salvation Army store, but the local manager declined to comment.
Ben Mack, Salvation Army territorial media officer, said they don’t usually discuss illegal dumping because, “unfortunately, media reports often make the problem worse”.
“That being said, our teams across the motu are trained to handle this issue. We continue to accept donations with a smile and encourage the public to bring donations to our Family Stores during business hours.”
Kay Thomas, chairwoman of the Whau Local Board, is familiar with the ongoing illegal dumping issues outside the New Lynn Salvation Army store.
Thomas said the car park is privately owned, making it difficult for the council to get involved.
“It’s really awful that the Salvation Army, which does so much good, ends up with bills because of dumping, but because it is private property, it doesn’t come within council’s remit.”
Thomas said ‘Pooch Patrol’ – a community-led kaupapa where dog owners work together to make the streets safer, more dog-friendly, and beautiful – will notify the council of any issues.
“It’s a way for them to act as extra eyes for the council so we can respond more quickly,” she said.
While this initiative doesn’t directly address the Salvation Army’s illegal dumping problem, Thomas acknowledged community frustration surrounding the issue.
“I know the local members are really frustrated by the fact that an organisation like the Salvation Army, which does so much good, ends up with this ongoing issue just about every Christmas period.”
But because the problem involves private property, it falls outside the council’s dumping removal regulations.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
