Countywide campaign to prevent fly-tipping launched

The Leicestershire Waste Partnership has launched a campaign to prevent people illegally dumping waste with the warning that even if you pay someone to take rubbish away, if they are not licensed then it could still be fly-tipped and land people with fines.

The ‘It’s All Fly-Tipping’ campaign is being backed by councils in Leicester and Leicestershire which are part of the partnership.

Cllr Liz Blackshaw, Charnwood Borough Council’s lead member for communities and neighbourhoods said on behalf of the partnership: “This new campaign will help remind people who are fly-tipping that they are being watched, they have a legal responsibility to dispose of their waste safely and that failure to do so could result in a fine.

“Fly-tipping is not only illegal but creates an eyesore, can be hazardous and is completely unnecessary.  The partnership is committed to working together to raise awareness and highlight the impacts fly-tipping has and how it can be prevented.

“If you are paying someone to dispose of your waste, stop and check if they are a registered waste carrier. People can sometimes be approached on social media so we would advise residents to be cautious. You can check if someone is a licensed waste collector by visiting the Environment Agency website.”

Cllr Darren Woodiwiss, Harborough District Council’s Cabinet lead for Environmental and Climate Emergency, said: “We are supporting this campaign to ensure people understand what fly-tipping is and what it means for our local environment. We want everyone to dispose of their waste carefully and properly.

“The council has a zero-tolerance fly-tipping policy. No one wants to live in an area that is littered with rubbish and its resultant environmental damage. We investigate all fly-tips and prosecute anyone who is blighting our district where we can.”

The consequences for fly-tipping can range from a £400 fixed penalty notice to an unlimited fine, a criminal record or time in prison.

Councils in the city and county deal with over 12,000 fly-tips each year. Each authority investigates fly-tips in their area and when enough evidence is recovered, action is taken.

‘It’s All Fly-Tipping’ focuses on reminding people who may be thinking about dumping their waste that they are being watched.

It also highlights the issue of paying someone who is operating without a waste licence to take waste away and it being fly tipped. People have a legal responsibility to check the person taking their waste away is a registered waste carrier.

People can visit the Environment Agency website to check that traders and businesses hold the correct waste licence or ask the carrier for their certificate before handing the waste over.

More information about the campaign can be found on the Leicestershire Waste Partnership website where they can also read stories of four characters – based on real people who have been caught fly-tipping in the past.

The examples show that people can be caught for all sorts of reasons, from putting a fridge on the pavement to dumping bags by a local recycling bank.

People can visit lesswaste.org.uk/flytipping and follow the campaign on social media using the hashtag #ItsAllFlyTipping.

Leicestershire Waste Partnership involves Blaby District Council, Charnwood Borough Council, Harborough District Council, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Melton Borough Council, North West Leicestershire District Council, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council.