Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023. - Tonight ` is your region's public recycling scheme a load of rubbish? We find out where it really ends up. - This is a GPS tracker. It will give us the location as it moves around the country. - We're on the case of some missing Christmas hampers. - Oh, yeah, I was pissed off. I was mad. - A warning from police about a new mega-scam. - These are people in their 60s and 70s, you know, so they're a bit further on in life ` I think it's life-changing. - And flood-damaged cars. - So here's some tips to avoid ending up with one. - Tena koutou katoa. Welcome to the show. Now, recycling ` we all know we're supposed to do it, but doing it has become increasingly complicated. - That's right. So if we do make the effort, we want to know it's going to the right place. - And because councils are using your money to pay for recycling, we decided to find out if they're doing the job right or doing the job at all. Here's Gill. - Prepare to be shocked, as we find out where your public recycling goes. - I'm going to be pessimistic and say I don't think those things end up going to recycling at all. - We get councils to front up ` So these bins are pretty pointless really. - ...about why some say our recycling is rubbish. - And we're so behind the rest of the world, it's gonna get increasingly awkward. - And we find out what we have to do to stop landfills taking over. - There is a big job to be done, and everyone is working on it. - Lunch on the go ` it's a time-saver, but can be a resource waster. Still, some councils provide public bins for all that recyclable packaging. - Do I think it's a good idea? - Yeah. - Yeah. Yeah, I do. - It gives people the option, I mean, but, I mean, obviously you should recycle. - Some of the first public-place recycling bins were funded in 12 cities by a grant linked to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Now 40 district or city councils tell us they offer this choice. Auckland Council says it collects recycling in clear plastic bags, so it can check to see what to recycle. In contrast, litter bags are blue, but we found some recycling bins had blue bags too. The council says it's a mistake, but we saw it in January and again in March. So we thought we'd work with Consumer to try to find out where our public recycling really goes. - So, this is a GPS tracker. It will give us the location as it moves around the country. - With trackers trapped inside,... - No, this will be a first. - ...we send the cans undercover across Aotearoa, into public recycling in Auckland, Taupo and Dunedin. We don't want them in landfill, because it's already growing way too fast. So, under my feet there are about 40m of compacted waste. And this is just Nelson and Tasman ` there are landfill sites like this all over the country. It's decomposing, it's producing methane, and that all adds to global heating. We're already sending 76% of our waste to be buried ` we don't need our public recycling going there to. So what did we find? Let's start with Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland. It went to Dairy Flat, home to the Redvale Landfill site, but the battery was tracked to an e-waste recycler. In Dunedin, which says about 15% of recycling gets dumped, the can's signal strangely stopped just short of the local landfill and recycling site, while the Taupo can appears smack bang in the middle of the area's main landfill. So inconclusive, but it prompted us to ask all councils what is going on. And the answer was even more of a shock. So, how much of this public recycling actually ends up in landfill? - A massive quantity. - Yes, a shocking 100% of public recycling in Auckland is dumped. It's 100% for these four councils too ` and at least 80% for all of these. Off to landfill ` not sorted, just dumped. It begs the question ` why even have the bins? Auckland Council says... - Pretty much at the moment as an educational aspect, to actually prompt people that you do have recyclables that you might be using. - Really? For education? How does that go down? - That makes no sense at all, right? - That's pretty bad, I think. - That's absolutely shocking. And this is the truth, is it? Right. So why do we do it? - In Nelson too, the council admits to the same problem with public recycling. - Unless it really looked worth sorting, the odds are it would be disposed of. - But stresses that councils aren't to blame. - In a nutshell, people just haven't been using them properly. - Which is true. We're really not sure what goes where. - I don't actually know. - Was it the cup that you put in there? - Yeah. - So did you know that it actually can't go into recycling? - Oh, I wasn't aware of that. That's a news. OK. I need to be educated on that one. - At an impromptu test, recycling on the right, rubbish on the left confirms our confusion. Coffee cups. Straws ` can't. No. - That goes in there. No, no, no. - They're not plastic. - No, no, no, no, no. Soft plastic ` rubbish. - Oh jokes. Oh. Other way. - No. No shredded paper. (LAUGHS) - Really? Oh! This is ridiculous. - That all leads to contamination. And with nowhere to wash things... Can you recycle it if it's dirty? - No. None of it. - ...it's contaminated with food too. - Then the next thing you know, you've got a whole bin that can't be recycled, because it's got something that's made of plastic and paper, and it's got lots of coffee over everything. - But before we go blaming ourselves,... - I'd say recycling for the everyday consumer is hard and confusing. - ...this waste expert says the fault is shared with manufacturers. Take our most common packaging material. - Plastic is a complex one. There are seven types of plastics, and there's only really three of those types that we'd call recyclable plastics. - What about this one? - Wrong plastic type. And the colour ` also it has the lid on. - Most lids can't be recycled, and plastic types three, four, six and seven generally can't. So we're supposed to remember the numbers and spot them? - There's a little symbol on the base of all plastics. - He thinks clearer, simpler labelling would really help. - You know, a simple tick box, even that says, yes, it's recycling. - And we need consistency across the country. - So if they're doing recycling in Papamoa, they're doing the same recycling in Wanganui, for example ` the same thing is going in the same bins in the same ways. - Which brings us back to Taupo and the can found in landfill. The council says maybe it was missed, as it claims to have a high recycling rate and low contamination. - We achieved this by placing our recycling bins next to our Bigbelly waste compactors. We work hard on our education programme, and our recycling bins have got small orifices, so that those larger contaminants are kept out. - But there's another problem every council faces ` the cost. Look at these comparisons ` on the left, cost per ton of home recycling; on the right from public bins, a huge jump, because it needs so much more sorting, due to such high contamination. A zero-waste advocate says mixed recycling bins are a waste. - It's not working as well as it could, because it's costing councils an enormous amount of money, relative to the actual problem that they're solving. - So some councils, like Hutt City and Marlborough, have canned them. Some, like Queenstown Lakes, have switched to bins for specific items, like this. Others, like Nelson, are replacing with bins just for rubbish, but big; while a few, like Taupo, are holding out. So if they're still standing by their bins, we think ratepayers will want to know why. - We don't think it's all about the cost ` We really wanna give our community the ability to do the right thing and recycle. This is a tourist destination ` they expect to be able to recycle when they come here. - Whatever their current bin action, all councils agree there has to be change, and it has to come from the top. - We need to bring in schemes like the container-return scheme, which actually incentivises people to take that container, clean, to a drop-off point. - Our advocate for zero waste loves the idea. - Buy the drink, you pay a little deposit, like 20c, that you get back when you bring your container to the appropriate place for recycling. This has been shown everywhere that has it increases the recovery rates to, you know, up to 90%, 95%, and you have clean, high-quality material that can be recycled really effectively. - And she'd love the idea even more if manufacturers bore the cost too. - The beverage producer facing fee of a few cents, that covers the costs of the actual recycling part. - And everywhere there's consensus that education is key,... - That is rubbish, and that is, yeah, compost. - ...like at this Nelson City event. - The more people see good recycling, good waste avoidance and minimisation in practice, the more they come to expect it. - How are you? - And some councils also give grants to help companies reduce packaging, like selling juice in BYO bottles. And how necessary do you think this kind of thing is? - I think it's incredibly necessary. We have a waste crisis, and single-use, uh, plastic and waste is, um, a huge contributor of that. - Recycling needs a big shake-up, or council money, like so much packaging, will be going to waste. - Whoa. - I don't know if I should be feeling sad or disappointed ` I can't quite believe those numbers. We're obviously pretty good at home recycling, so that is good, the products, I guess, are easier to recycle, maybe we know more, but the stuff that is happening out in the public, that is not good at all. - OK. E haere ake nei, coming up ` she paid $2000 to give her seven kids a great Christmas, but where did it all go? - And how to avoid buying a lemon when you're car shopping. When you turn the car on, are there any flickering lights? (PHONE RINGS) (CHAIR CREAKS) Hey Greg! Sorry, I've been flat out all morning. - Toya! - (WHOOSH!) (BEEPING, BLEEPING, WHIRRING) - Kiddies, sunblock on? (LAUGHTER) - Hey, hey, hey, hey. No running in the shop, please. Slow down, slow down. (LAUGHTER) - There's only one cone left. - (LAUGHTER) (WHIRRING, LAUGHTER) - Don't worry ` I'll give you half. - Hey, weren't you gonna share some with me? (BEEPING, WHIRRING) Kia ora. Nau mai, hoki mai. Welcome back. Now, it may feel a long time before the tinsel comes out and the sound of Snoopy's Christmas fills the mall. - Merry Christmas, my friend (!) But now is the time ` sorry about that ` where people start budgeting for the festive season. Which is what busy mum Leanne did in Napier, so her kids could have a day to remember. - Well, remember, they did, but for all the wrong reasons. Hado has the story. - If it was only junk mail, it wouldn't have been a problem. But this offer came up the path and knocked on Lee Ann Brown's door. It was a deal for Christmas hampers. - Oh, excellent. - Lee Ann had an open mind. - Yeah, I'll give it a go. - It was a catalogue. - Oh, thanks. - The company was Hampers 4 U ` Wellington-based, glossy brochure. What impressed her was... - The quality and the quantity. - There were even Tim Tams ` this was some kind of hamper! - It's got top brands, like Wattie's and, you know, Tegel and all that ` nothing budget. - Lee Ann chose two ` the Banquet,... - Yes, I did. - ...and... - The Family Celebration Hamper. - Crucially, Lee Ann claims they told her... - They did say two weeks before Christmas that we'd have our hampers. - That's what it says on the order form, where she also committed to pay $48 a week. - # You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout... # - By the time Buble's on high rotate and it's wrapping season, Lee Ann had paid... But Lee Ann is big on the festive season. - I love Christmas with my kids ` all for the kids. - She has seven. - Renee, Darion, Kalem, Jiles, Gabrielle, Justin and Jace. - So by four days out from Christmas, Leanne was ready. - Then they said that they'll be here on a Wednesday, so I took a day off work. - An unpaid day off. - And waited all day. - What came was... - Nothing. - Nothing? - Nothing came at all. No. - Lee Ann was angry and determined. - Oh, yeah, I was pissed off. I was mad. I mean... - Yeah, she was pretty angry about it. - With Christmas just days away, Lee Ann's daughter stayed and waited the next day. - I was, but nothing came. - At this stage, Lee Ann was close to volcanic. - I was, like, What the (BLEEP)? And I was at work at the time. - By Christmas Eve, still nothing. - I had to tell my kids that the hampers weren't coming. - So Lee Ann spent her entire savings, $1500, on Christmas food. It stings. - But you gotta do what you gotta do when you've got seven kids. Kids can't miss out. - Over New Year, Lee Ann kept ringing Hampers 4 U. - Hi. It's Lee Ann Brown here from 1 McGregor Ave. - And Hampers 4 U kept taking money out of her account. - They were still taking the $48 out a week, until I spoke to one of the ladies at my bank. - By February, when Fair Go got involved, Lee Ann had moved through several stages of grief. - Yep. Yep. False hope. (CHUCKLES) Well, especially when I didn't get my hampers ` you know, that was the whole thing. - She was not, though, at the stage of acceptance. - I just want my refund. - And soon... we'll talk to Hampers 4 U owner Arvinder Singh. First, Hampers 4 U did make some deliveries last Christmas. Cassandra in Masterton paid $627 for this, including a $50 Pak'N Save voucher. Here's the brochure; here's the reality. So something did show up? - Yeah. It was very weird. - Then there's Richard Buchanan. His mother-in-law ordered a $700 hamper that, after a lot of phone calls, finally turned up on Christmas Eve. - A van did show up, and a couple of guys came, ran across the street, dropped a box that was pretty shoddy. And before we could even look at it, they were back in the van and gone, sort of like they knew that it wasn't what it should have been and just wanted to get out of there quickly. - What was in the box? - A couple packets of meat, biscuits and chips, some lower brands cans of spaghetti and red kidney beans, which we were all excited about, because no one eats them. - Richard forgot to mention somewhere in there is a $50 Pak'n Save voucher. By searching company records, we know Hampers 4 U is owned by Arvinder Singh, who goes by Arvinder Chahal on social media. Arvinder is a prolific businessman who owns a string of companies, most of which... - PHONE: We didn't recognise the number you dialled. ...appear to have stopped trading. One night we got him on the phone. What happened to the hampers? Cos the hampers on the brochure look amazing. Arvinder is blaming his staff,... ...the courier company,... ...and finally, his health. Arvinder promised to provide evidence of this. He didn't. But... Fair Go's enquiries indicate he is in India. Arvi, why should we trust you now? Like, you've been talking about refunds for a long time. We've got Leanne in Napier, who paid $1900. She's got nothing. So we checked in with the courier company that Hampers 4 U say they use, and they told us Hampers 4 U have no contract with them ` they couldn't carry chilled meat anyway, and they certainly don't need two months' notice. But for all his bad luck, Arvinder did leave me with one final promise. - Personal guarantee? - Yes. - And for two customers, he did, including Leanne, who got $1900 back. While Richard is still waiting on behalf of his mother-in-law. - Yet to see it as of today. So, yeah, I mean, fingers are always crossed. - But Christmas is gone now. It's a brand new year. - Lee Ann Brown says she's learned... - Never again. - ...her lesson... - Never again. - ...for good. Arvinder, great job on doing the refunds. Well done. But seriously, man, no Tim Tams in the hamper? There were Tim Tams in the brochure ` there were no Tim Tams in the hamper. I love a good Tim Tam at Christmas. And kidney beans! What are you gonna do with kidney beans at Christmas? I don't know any kidney beans recipes. - Oh, I've got a great kidney bean stuffing recipe for you, Hado. E haere ake nei, coming up ` a warning about a new mega-scam that is fleecing eye-watering amounts of money from victims. - A person's lost a million dollars and another $950,000. - And how to avoid buying a soggy lemon when you're car shopping. - Start with smell. Musty or damp smelling ` well, that's not great. VOICEOVER: Imagine if you could start thriving. AIA Vitality is a science-backed health and wellbeing program that gives you the guidance, tools and rewards you need to thrive. So get AIA Vitality and start thriving. - Kia ora ano, friends. Welcome back. We've been waiting for you. Now, our next story is a scam alert, but this one's a bit unusual. It didn't come from any of the usual suspects, like the banks, Netsafe, Scamwatch or even from the victims. - No, this one came to Fair Go straight from the police. It is a scam that has already cost one person a million dollars. Well, Garth's been talking to the old 5-0. Here's the details. - Scam. Don't think you'd fall for it? - We have seen our fair share of scams on Fair Go. - Maybe it's fate. Can I know you? - The crypto romance, fake distress calls. The man in the middle. - At some point, an outsider intercepts that communication. - But this is a scam, police say, has cost victims an eye-watering amount of money. - One, uh, person's lost a million dollars and another 950,000. - How on earth does someone lose a million dollars? - Overnight. It's a one-off payment, and the money's gone. I know the sums are big, but these are people's whole life savings ` this could be our grandparents or parents. - They were searching online for term deposits. They found very convincing websites offering to broker good deals with banks here. Trouble is, they were run by scammers. - Their Google search has come up with this website. They've followed that, entered in the details, and then just the contact started. - The rates were just a bit better than banks had advertised, enough to look convincing. And another twist ` scammers were able to use New Zealand bank accounts to receive that money. - As the victim, if you're transferring money directly to an offshore account, some alarm bells are gonna ring, right? So it's, again, with that layer of legitimacy ` um, it looks familiar, um, it seems right. - Police are still talking to the mules ` they're the people who've somehow agreed to take big sums and pass them on overseas. - Sometimes they've been recruited on social media for a job. So they are even unaware that they're doing anything that's, um, criminal or harming someone else. - Because the victim's money is almost certainly long gone. - I think it's life-changing. These are people in their 60s and 70s, you know, so they're a bit further on in life as well. So losing this life-changing amount of money, that you're just trying to get by and have the best retirement, um, and, I suppose set things up for your children and grandchildren. I don't know how some people recover from that. - Now, in this case, the scammers claimed they could set people up with a great deal with the ASB, but it could be any bank whose name is being misused, so make sure you're dealing with that bank. Do that by independently searching their contact details and getting in touch. You can also check with the Financial Markets Authority. Its website keeps a list of suspicious companies that may be fake brokers. You could also just talk to friends and family, because that conversation might trigger enough of a warning that you avoid a life-changing loss. - So important to have that conversation. It's your money, you've worked hard for it ` try and keep it as close as possible. - I know. Heartbreaking to lose a nest egg like that. Finally tonight, we would all like to forget the recent images of ruined cars floating in floodwaters, or upended in the mud. - But if you're buying a car, it is worth learning how to spot a flood-damaged vehicle, because some are now hitting the market. - That's right. So I've rounded up some tips in a little something I'm calling Buyer Beware. They say you should buy a car on a rainy day. And with the rain we've had lately, you need to pay some extra attention, because more flood-damaged cars are likely to be hitting the market, and they can pose some really serious safety risks. So here's some tips to avoid ending up with one. Start with smell ` musty or damp-smelling, well, that's not great. Neither is anything too heavily fragranced, cos that could be hiding something. Check for damp carpet or upholstery or signs of water stains, mould or mildew on the likes of interior panels, fabric or seat belts. Is there any rust on or inside the car or any silt in the interior of the car or in the engine? Do the electronics seem OK? Like, when you turn the car on, are there any flickering lights? Does the radio work OK? Do the headlights or any of the windows show condensation? You can also check if the car's on the Waka Kotahi damaged-vehicle register. Any flood-damaged cars that have been written off by insurers will be on this list. But it is not exhaustive, and some cars on the list will have been repaired and recertified. Remember too a licenced car dealer has to legally tell you if a car's had flood damage. Now, you won't get the same protection from a private seller, but it is still worth asking all the questions. But we've saved the best advice for last, and that is before you buy any car, always get a pre-purchase inspection by someone who knows what they're doing. Just for you car enthusiasts out there, you'll be pleased to know that that car was not damaged in any floodwaters, and I did actually reach peak coolness driving it, I believe. Right, that is it from us. But if you only caught part of the show, you can catch all of it plus past episodes on TVNZ+ whenever you want, because we're always here to help. - If you say you've reached peak coolness, it's generally not the case. That's right ` our programme is all about you at home, your consumer aches and pains ` no matter if they're huge or teeny tiny, please get in touch. - You sound like my kids. Right, we're Facebook and Instagram. You can go to our webpage, tvnz.co.nz Email us ` fairgo@tvnz.co.nz and you're still very welcome to write to us... - Thank you for watching. In case you're wondering, it's not mauve or lilac in Gore; they call this... - It's a purple work shirt. Is that right? - That's it. Until next week,... - BOTH: ...pomarie. - It is a purple work shirt.