Waikato District Council is launching a social media campaign today to highlight the important mahi our rubbish and recycling contractors do for our communities, while promoting waste minimisation and safe working environments.
The campaign comes in response to an increase in aggressive behaviour and verbal abuse towards collection crews and, in one case, physical abuse.
These incidents often arise when rubbish or recycling is not collected because it does not meet collection requirements, such as oversized bags, inorganic items like TVs, mattresses and toilets, non-recyclable materials, or bags and wheelie bins without the correct pre-paid stickers or tags.
While Council understands the cost-of-living pressures many households are facing, we’re asking residents not to overload bags that contractors manually lift into trucks, and not to take frustrations out on collection crews. If you have a question about your collection, please call 0800 492 452.
Waste Contracts Coordinator Sheree Holgersen said the campaign, Behind the Pickup, is designed to introduce the community to the people behind the service, and in doing so, strengthen the connection to the community.
“We know times are tight, and people are looking for ways to save money,” she said.
“It’s about finding the balance between encouraging waste minimisation, reducing the amount of rubbish going to landfill and helping manage costs for residents, while also reminding people not to take their frustrations out on our rubbish crews.
“They’re out working when many of us are still asleep, in the heat, the cold and the rain. We want to encourage good habits and greater respect for the people doing this essential work.”
The five part video series was filmed in Huntly with Green Gorilla and in Tuakau with Smart Environmental. The campaign introduces five individuals who work on the district’s collections, beginning with Jimbo from Huntly, who collects recycling for Green Gorilla. It will be run over several weeks on Facebook and Instagram - the first video launches today, Monday, 15 June.
Acting Zero Harm Manager Joanne McArthur said Council is focused on making sure contractors can work in safe environments. While most people interact respectfully with crews, a small number of people don’t.
“Everyone deserves to be safe at work, to enjoy their job and to be treated with respect,” she said. “As Jimbo says (in the video), all labour has dignity. These are the people who help keep our communities clean running after trucks and lifting heavy crates and bags every day, and in all kinds of weather.”
“We hope that by sharing their stories, people will see these workers are like them. Doing a job to support themselves and their families – and that this understanding will lead to greater care, and even pride in the mahi they perform for our communities.”
The campaign was funded by central government's Waste Minimisation Fund. You can find out more about the fund on the Ministry for the Environment’s website.
Residents can find more information on Council’s website about reducing rubbish and recycling effectively.
