Cotswold District Council clamps down on illegal fly-tipping
Following investigations of reports of fly tipping last month, Cotswold District Council issued three fixed penalty notices to individuals in a drive to clamp down on the illegal activity.
Cllr Juliet Layton, Cabinet Member for Development Management and Licensing, said: “I would like to thank our officers who have been invaluable in helping us to crack down on environmental crime here in the Cotswolds. We want to highlight that fly-tipping is a criminal offence, and we are seeking to clamp down and enforce any case we possibly can, either through the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice or through a prosecution.
“What we are seeing more frequently is illegitimate waste removal services offering cheap prices, who are not licensed and very often cut corners to dispose of the waste dangerously and illegally.
“Fly tipping can ruin our countryside and our communities, and we will continue to raise awareness that it is criminal and unacceptable. If you witness an incident of fly-tipping, please report it as soon as you can, that gives our officers the best chance of catching the perpetrators.”
Although the majority of tradespeople and companies can be trusted to dispose of waste in a responsible manner, it is crucial to be aware that some cannot be trusted and are illegitimate.
Kevin Lea, Enviro-Crime Programmes Officer at Cotswold District Council, highlighted the fact that: “Responsible, safe and legal disposal of waste is the responsibility of the household occupier, regardless of who is physically disposing of the waste. Under the ‘Domestic Duty of Care’, all reasonable measures must be taken to ensure that household waste is transferred and taken away by an authorised person. Fly-tipping is the illegal deposit of waste onto land. If your waste is fly-tipped, by you or by someone else on your behalf, you could face a £400 fixed penalty notice.
“Our collective goal is to maintain our beautiful district and countryside and we aim to help people do the right thing and tackle those who do not.”
Everyone has a legal 'duty of care' to ensure your household or business waste is disposed of correctly.
Household waste is generally considered to be any waste produced in a domestic property. As well as regular black bin bag waste, this also includes other material such as old mattresses, furniture and household appliances.
Fly-tipping causes a significant blight on the local environment and is often a source of pollution, which can endanger public health and wildlife.
To report illegal fly-tippings, please visit: https://cotswold.gov.uk/environment/report-fly-tipping/
If you have any questions on fly-tipping or responsible waste disposal, please email: ers@cotswold.gov.uk