‘Keep It Unda’ Featherston

Eparaima Williams runs his bin-cover business, Keep It Unda, from his home in Featherston. PHOTOS/GIANINA SCHWANECKE

GIANINA SCHWANECKE
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Fed up with strong Wairarapa winds constantly forcing rubbish collectors to pick up blown debris from the street, Featherston man Eparaima Williams has created his own bin cover to solve the problem.

Many Featherston residents regularly struggled with rubbish being picked up from recycling bins by the wind and being littered across the neighbourhood – some even reported giving their rubbish to friends in less windy towns to avoid the problem.

Helen Makinson who lives on William Benton Street took to social media to thank her rubbish collectors after watching them pick up the debris.

“It has taken those lovely rubbish men about 25 minutes to pick up recurring flying rubbish.

“The plastic coke bottles are lethal . . . fly like missiles.”

Williams knew all too well how the wind could cause havoc come bin day and said he was surprised no one had addressed it in the region before.

“The wind all comes straight off the hill and all the rubbish ends up along the fence and across the road.”

In the spirit of DIY and employing a bit of kiwi ingenuity, Williams created his own strapping bin cover to prevent the rubbish getting out.

He started working on the project in December, designing the covers with rubbish collectors in mind.

“It’s like making boxes when you’re a kid. I just imagined it.

“I tried to make the design as simple as possible.”

Made of a waterproof material with elastic to strap them to the bins, they include a quick-pull strap making for easy release come rubbish day.

“The main purpose is to keep rubbish off the street.”

He said they would be well suited to other purposes too, including togs bags and firewood or paper covers.

Operating under the name ‘Keep it Unda’, he’s already sold seven covers with orders for 12 more.

Williams said he learned to sew from his nana and hoped to expand the operation as the business grew and was looking for interest in other Wairarapa towns.

The bins are available for $20 each, though there’s a bit of a wait as Featherston residents eagerly place their orders. More information can be found on his Facebook page facebook.com/keepitunda