Council puts street litter ‘code’ on trial

Waitakere City Council is testing the new national code of practice for the distribution of unaddressed mail developed by the Marketing Association.

The code is being promoted by organisations which account for over 95% of all unaddressed mail deliveries a group of distribution companies, retailers, magazine and newspaper publishers including New Zealand Post, Deltarg, PMP Ltd, and the New Zealand Retailers’ Association.

The council has resolved to defer enforcing its own junk mail provisions of the bylaw until it has monitored and assessed the code of practice and decided whether there is a need to retain the junk mail part of the waste bylaw reviewed in 2005.

“We can bring in the bylaw at any time if there is still a problem,” says Deputy Mayor Carolynne Stone.

“Further education of the advertising sector, including the real estate industry will be encouraged to promote greater awareness of letterbox stickers,” she says.

The key principle of the code is to respect at all times the individual rights of the householder. It prohibits delivery of unaddressed mail to letterboxes with a sign requesting non-delivery, when the letterbox is full, or it is unsuitable for such material. An 0800 number (0800 111 081) will be operated by the Marketing Association from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday to receive complaints about unaddressed mail delivered to a letterbox displaying a non-delivery sign, or the dumping of bulk quantities of printed material.

Letterbox signs are available from most leading hardware retailers.

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