A campaign to stop illegal dumping in the Waitaki district has already yielded one result, which is being investigated by the Waitaki District Council.
The "Ditch Dirty Dumping" campaign was launched this month by the council, encouraging people in the district to report illegal dumping, which costs ratepayers money to clean up.
The council promised to investigate reports and take action, either prosecuting offenders, who can be fined up to $7500, or issuing a $400 instant fine.
They can also be charged for cleaning up the litter.
"The sad fact is, there is a small section of the population that simply doesn't care, or can't be bothered getting rid of their waste the right way like the rest of us are doing, or don't see why they should have to pay anything," the council said.
Its solid waste officer, Gerry O'Neill, said the campaign had yielded one report so far, but it was early days.
That was being investigated.
The council would give the campaign "a high profile" for a few weeks, then continue it in the background.
People who see illegal dumping can report it to the council anonymously or by email.
They are encouraged to record as many details as possible, even taking photographs if they see the offender or car registration numbers.
