Let’s ban unsolicited circulars and junk mail to reduce environmental damage and litter.

Petition details

We have laws against littering. Junk mail is really just a form of littering citizens' private property - their letter boxes. It makes no sense that householders have to pay money for a no junk mail sign on their letterbox. Instead, advertisers can provide free “Junk mail welcome” signs to those that want junk mail.

Background information

A recent analysis of Waitakere City street litter shows that 16.6% of street litter is junk mail and that the junk mail content of litter increases by a massive 33% on the day it is delivered, costing councils tens of thousands of ratepayer dollars to clean up the mess. Ross Johnston from New Brighton, Christchurch has twice collected a year's worth of junk mail. In 1992 he collected 51kg and in 2006 he collected a 1.7m tall stack of junk mail weighing 70kg.