Local litter-picker Adam Anderson has cleared rubbish from roadsides in Masterton for the past 20 years.
Adam said some people are really good with their rubbish and appreciate his work.
“But some people not so much, and some people don’t even think about it,” he said.
“When they see somebody like me doing the job, they’re probably more likely to use a rubbish bin.”
Adam began picking up litter voluntarily around the CBD more than two decades ago.
It didn’t take long for Masterton District Council to notice his efforts and hire him to work from 9am to 4pm each day.
“I get told I do a good job pretty much every day by at least one person – usually multiple people.”
When asked why he’s picked up litter for so many years, Adam said it’s because he could.
“I’m methodical in how I do it.
“I come to work, I do my job, and then I go home and I’ll forget about it until I come to work to do it again.
“If I went home and I worried about the litter when I was at home, then that’d probably do my head in, but I don’t do that.
“I wouldn’t have minded being a commercial fisherman. But that never really worked out, and I’m probably too old for that now.”
In his free time, Adam enjoys going to the movies, hiking, fishing, and cycling around the region. He said he chose rubbish collection because someone had to do it.
“You’ve just got to be here,” he said.
“I suppose the biggest challenge is when you pick it up, you go back and there’s more there.
“It doesn’t matter how far and wide you go, or how much you pick up, there’s always going to be more. So that’s the irritating thing.”
When asked about his unofficial title of ‘local legend’ he earned for his rubbish collecting efforts, Adam responded: “Yeah, I suppose so, but I am paid to do my job.
“There’s lots of people that are on the street every day, and not all of them get paid.
“Some of them do some pretty good stuff, and they’re out and about every day.”
Adam listed full alcohol containers, underwear, tools, and weapons that people have stashed away as just some of the unusual objects he had encountered over the years.
The busiest rubbish periods are during school holidays and on sunny days when locals enjoy eating outside and forget to clean up after themselves.
People from Masterton should take pride in their town, Adam said.
“People visit here and they see rubbish all over the place. It doesn’t look good, and it doesn’t reflect well on the people that live here, so don’t litter.”
When asked about antisocial behaviour from locals, Adam said there were not many people that bothered him at work.
“It’s water off a duck’s back, really,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s people that are just not happy, or they’re not happy with the council.
“Usually it’s not about me, it’s about something else.
“You might get somebody say something or look down their nose at you or whatever, but usually I’ve got my hat on and my sunglasses on and I’m doing my thing and people are either ignoring me, or telling me I’m doing a good job.”
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.
