The Thames-Coromandel District Council won't be collecting rubbish bags that have been hung up on trees or poles.
The council is reminding people that it will only pick up bags that have been left on the kerbside. Photo: Facebook / Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn
Coming into the busy summer months, the council is reminding people that it will only pick up bags that have been left on the kerbside.
It has been common practice in some areas - especially in beach communities where there are lots of holiday homes - for households to hang up their rubbish bags, rather than leave them on the kerbside.
That's so it's more difficult for pests to rips the bags open and spread the contents around.
But the council said removing bags from trees or poles slowed down the contractors collecting the rubbish, and it meant some bags weren't being picked up on time.
There were also health and safety concerns.
Some staff, who were picking up hundreds of bags a day, have been poked by sharp objects in bags hanging from poles or trees because they've had to hug the bag to lift it down.
Infrastructure Group Manager Bruce Hinson said some people would need to change their habits, but there were protective measures available to protect bags from pests.
Rubbish bags could also be dropped off at refuse transfer stations if people weren't going to be home on rubbish collection day.