Keep New Zealand Beautiful illegal dumping report
As waste becomes more of an issue, we need to turn our attention to illegal dumping of waste in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In 2022, we funded Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) to develop a behaviour change programme to reduce illegal dumping in Aotearoa New Zealand.
KNZB’s first piece of research is a literature review of international strategies for tackling illegal dumping. The review includes five recommendations to address the issue.
Unlike littering, illegal dumping usually involves bigger items or large amounts of waste.
Common types of materials that are dumped include:
- household rubbish
- garden waste
- tyres
- furniture
- building materials.
These items tend to be disposed of illegally at locations such as:
- next to public rubbish bins
- in drains or ditches
- on beaches
- in remote locations
- outside charity shops.
Illegal dumping not only impacts the natural environment through hazardous impacts on waterways, soil and air — it impacts our economy, communities, and health and wellbeing.
KNZB’s Illegal dumping literature review 2022 [Keep New Zealand Beautiful website] provides insights into how Aotearoa New Zealand can take learnings from other countries to deliver an effective strategy to tackle illegal dumping.
Image courtesy of Keep New Zealand Beautiful