Waikato District Council campaign to respect rubbish collectors

Thursday, 18 June 2026

Rubbish collectors have had people climb into their vehicles and chase them, the council says. Pictured is a Smart Environmental collector at work in Tuakau.

Abusive people who climb into rubbish trucks, block roads and throw waste at crews have prompted a campaign in the Waikato District.

The council is going in to bat for its rubbish collectors, saying it’s time to bin the public abuse they are getting.

In response to a sharp increase in verbal abuse, threats, and hostile behaviour directed at collection crews, the council has launched asocial media campaign to highlight the issue.

The incident that prompted it occurred in north Waikato, when two individuals became verbally abusive and climbed into the cab of a truck and shouted at the on‑ board cameras.

“Thankfully, the driver was not physically harmed, and the matters were reported to Police,’’ WDC acting zero harm manager Joanne McArthur told the Waikato Times.

There have been about ten incidents in the past six months.

Some people have thrown ‘rubbish or other items’ at collection crews, Waikato District Council acting zero harm manager Joanne McArthur said.

“These have ranged from residents chasing trucks in their vehicles and blocking roads, approaching drivers with abusive language and threatening behaviour, climbing onto or into trucks to yell abuse, and in some cases throwing rubbish or other items at crews.’’

The council says 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.

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 that 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 and introduces five individuals who work on the district’s collections.

The Government-funded campaign will run over several weeks on Facebook and Instagram – the first video went live on Monday and can be viewed here.

McArthur said the council is focused on making sure contractors can work in safe environments.

“Everyone deserves to be safe at work, to enjoy their job and to be treated with respect.

“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 latest video can be seen here.