There's frustration about rubbish dumping along the Desert Road detour.  

State Highway 1 between Tūrangi and Waiōuru closed in mid-January for about two months of roadworks. 

The detour, which runs through State Highways 41, 47, 4, and 49 has seen a noticeable rise in rubbish.  

Ruapehu District Councillor David Nottage has been picking up the rubbish himself. 

He told Andrew Dickens it's more than people throwing a few things out the window.  

Nottage says it's hard to believe people are carrying that much around while they travel, so they may be taking advantage. 

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