In their first outing of the year, Litter Free Ashburton members found a large black bag filled with "revolting" rubbish north of town.
The bag was just one of the rubbish items discovered in what has been described as ‘‘horrible, illegal and very deliberate dumping’’.
Member Bev Skates said the bag, which was found in one of the laybys near the kiosk on State Highway 1, contained more than just household rubbish.
She believes it was left by freedom campers overstaying in the area.
‘‘The smell was absolutely revolting. They just dumped it there and we picked it up,’’ Skates said.
It was particularly upsetting as there is an Ashburton District Council rubbish bin onsite at the kiosk which is emptied every day.
‘‘Around the kiosk area, the actual area where people pull in and park where the kiosk building is, that’s usually pretty good,’’ Skates said.
However, she believes freedom campers are driving behind the lay-bys into the trees next to the railway lines to dump their rubbish and that was where the problems are.
District council group manager of compliance and development, Ian Hyde, said freedom camping and illegal rubbish dumping was generally not an issue at the lay-by but concerns have been raised.
‘‘We have been made aware of concerns about things that have happened there recently and are working to make sure the area is kept clean and tidy going forward.
‘‘We are happy for freedom campers to use our reserves, where there are toilets and other facilities, and in return we expect them to respect our space. In our experience, most move on after one night,’’ he said.
He confirmed lower limbs on trees in the area were scheduled to be trimmed.
‘‘There is a plan to do this work along the entire treeline when staff are available, but it is a large area and so an ongoing process,’’ Hydes said.
- You can report illegal rubbish dumping to your local council or via the Snap Send Solve app.
