A pile of large itemswas discarded on the bridle walkway on Ruahine St, Palmerston North. Such a sight is not uncommon.

A proposal to increase the amount of money Kiwis pay to dump rubbish at landfills could create fly-tipping headaches in the provinces.

Household waste bills are expected to go up 33 cents a bag if the proposal is passed as ministers look to rein in increasing volumes of rubbish being sent to landfills.

In its draft proposal, the Environment Ministry stated the levy was an important tool to raise revenue to invest in material reprocessing plants.

It's set to earn the Government an extra $250 million a year, but regional leaders fear the added cost could create a bigger mess.

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Rangitīkei mayor Andy Watson said the proposal increased the levy from $10 per tonne of waste to about $60 per tonne, and would affect all landfills other than cleanfill or farm dumps.

Kiwis dumped 2.5 million tonnes to landfill in 2009, but that increased to about 3.75m last year.

Watson fears elevated fees will prompt more fly tipping, which has become a costly headache for councils in the region.

"A number of districts, including our own, have a small ratepayer base but cover a large geographical area. The potential cost to councils and uncertainty of unsavoury roads throughout the country is avoidable," he wrote in a submission to Environment Minister David Parker.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Rangitīkei mayor Andy Watson says provincial towns need more time to adapt to increasing landfill levies.

One of the worst-affected areas is near the bridge in Bulls, on State Highway 3. If the area was to flood, toxic rubbish, including televisions, could end up in the river.

"Cleaning up dumping comes at a significant cost to [the] council. It may lead to council staff having to patrol roads for dumpings and, in some instances, prosecuting."

More than 140 reports of wrongful dumping were recorded in Manawatū District in 2017, stinging ratepayers $52,000. Investigations led to the council prosecuting one illegal dumper and handing out several infringement notices to several others.

Watson recommended the changes be implemented in July 2021 and that changes be made to one landfill type each year.

That would allow business owners time to adopt new processes for dealing with excesss waste.

"To ensure the costs to smaller groups are affordable, the implementation period [should] be longer."

Watson urged Parker to consider building recycling infrastructure in the provinces, where land would be cheaper and jobs created.

MURRAY WILSON/STUFF Fly tipping on a rural Manawatū road.

Feilding resident Michael Lawrence recalls when loads could be dumped at the landfill for no charge.

Although kerbside recycling was now built into rates, extra rubbish came at a considerable cost to most households. Those looking to do a spring clean or dispose of large items could be tempted to dump their rubbish over a rural bank.

"I can understand why there is so much fly tipping these days. I am tempted too."

Lawrence recalls dismantling an old television and putting the parts in general rubbish bags over a period of time because it was cheaper than discarding it at the dump for $31.50.

The Government needed to educate people about what could be recycled, Lawrence said.