Paths and bridleways has seen highest level of fly-tipping in 13 years – equating to 543 a day and a jump of 10% from previous year.
This information comes to us via a PR Agency, which normally raises a degree of suspicion, but we’re going to share the story because well, fly-tipping really gets on our wick!
Not only is fly-tipping an eyesore, it is also an environmental hazard that has the potential to cause injury whilst bike riding.
The UK recorded 1.1 million incidents of fly-tipping last year — the highest number recorded for over a decade, since 2008/09. Apparently, footpaths and bridleways were particularly badly affected. You may well have noticed.
Dumping of ehicle tyres rose by a quarter and people discarding vehicle parts increased by 15%. There was a 47% upturn in fly-tipping of chemical drums or oil/fuels. Offenders can be punished with a maximum fine of £50,000, or even a jail sentence.
How you can help
Those who enjoy the countryside are being encouraged to report incidents and vehicles involved in fly-tipping through the gov.uk website or FixMyStreet.
I personally find reporting fly-tipping via the relevant local council’s website to be fairly effective. But no doubt it varies council to council. Tip: use Google to find your council’s fly-tipping report page, don’t rely on council websites’ search function to work! Attaching photos and a grid reference is helpful too.
Now then, the following PR Agency-supplied quotes are possibly less-than-independent or altruistic in nature, nevertheless there’s some interesting things covered…
Hannah Poole from criminal defence firm Olliers: “Fly-tipping differs from littering as the illegal deposit of waste on land, removing the waste from premises where it was originally produced, with the deliberate aim to dispose of this waste unlawfully.
“Any individual who produces waste has a duty of care to ensure that it’s disposed of properly. This applies to both householders and businesses. If convicted, the penalties individuals may face include a fine and/or a prison sentence of up to five years.
“The Fly-tipping Partnership Framework encourages enforcement agencies, residents and landowners to act together at a local level and provide ideas. A major factor in preventing fly-tipping is promoting understanding of the potential penalties.
“There is no requirement for people to report fly-tipping, but to encourage the public to report it, it needs to be easy and individuals need to know it is worth reporting. To report fly-tipping or illegal waste dumping, individuals should contact the local council – and we need more people to do just that.”
Susie Burrage from Global Recycling Foundation: “Many villages, towns and cities have seen junk piled up high in remote spots, as people clear out their homes to make space for offices. Huge amounts of taxpayers’ money is now being spent on litter collection, which could be going to vital public services.
“Litter is pollution and people underestimate the negative impact it has. Many people wrongly believe their individual actions will not harm the environment. For example, cigarette butts (which take 10 years to decompose) leach toxic substances into soil and water. Just one cigarette butt can contaminate 200 litres of water.
“I believe fines have helped to change individual behaviour, but we must challenge and change consumer behaviour. People must be educated in the best ways of preserving our natural resources and given easy access to well-organised and efficient recycling systems.”
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