Students - Don't Empty Your Flats Onto the Streets

The end of the university year is upon us, so if students are leaving flats in Wellington and heading off to enjoy the summer holidays, the message from the City Council is: please don't leave your unwanted furniture in the street.

The Council's CitiOperations Manager, Mike Mendonca, says the end of October is "traditionally" a time when the Council's rubbish collectors face a marked increase in unauthorised rubbish in streets around the inner suburbs - where many students go flatting.

"Our guys notice a definite jump in the number of mattresses, couches and other bits and pieces from flats that start to appear on the footpath. It's the detritus left after flats break up for the summer.

"Our rubbish and recycling trucks are not designed to carry all this large stuff - and consequently it gets left behind. We then start getting complaints from neighbours."
Student strongholds like the Aro Valley, Mt Victoria, Mt Cook and Newtown are particularly prone to the problem.

Mr Mendonca says most people dispose of their things responsibly but there is always a small minority who decide the street is a great place to leave their mattress or other large items in the mistaken belief that someone else will clean up after them.

"Students often don't have transport of their own, so if you know a student, or are the parent of a student, we'd really appreciate it if you could give them a hand to do the right thing before they leave town."

"Remember the saying 'one man's trash is another man's treasure' - sell it on Trade Me or call your local opportunity shop (which will often pick things up). The Council's Second Treasures recycling shop at the Southern Landfill, also takes some unwanted household items."