Councils
Southland District Council has taken a stance on litter nuisance, successfully prosecuting a person for littering.
Environmental health manager Michael Sarfaiti says it chose to prosecute Shayde Robert Bruce, of Invercargill, for throwing green waste from a trailer onto roads throughout the Southland District.
“While Council certainly will not be prosecuting minor offences when it comes to littering, it is important from both a health and an environmental point of view that we do not allow this kind of behaviour to continue,” Mr Sarfaiti says.
“At the end of the day it is other residents whose ability to enjoy their lives in our district is affected, and it is them who foots the bill of cleaning the mess up.”
The prosecution was heard before Judge Brandts-Giesen on 23 August.
Mr Bruce was fined $150 and ordered to pay a further $130 in court costs as well as $240.35 in clean-up costs to Southland District Council.
Those convicted of littering can be fined up to a maximum of $5000.