Flytipping
Incidents of flytipping deface our towns and countryside but this doesn't need to be the case: what many householders don't realise is that they can dispose of their waste FREE through their local recycling centre or civic amenity site. Councils also operate bulky uplift systems (some may charge a small fee but many offer a free uplift service) for those who are unable to move large items themselves.
This is not a victimless crime; we estimate that it costs council tax payers more than £11 million every year to clear up dumping from council land. It is also important to realise that farmers and other land managers have to meet the cost of clearing rubbish dumped on their land and this is costing them around £1,000 each every year.
Whether you are a householder or a business, dumping waste is illegal, and really dumb. If you do it, or if someone does it on your behalf, you can be prosecuted. So rather than taking the risk of being caught flytipping and fined £40,000, it's well worth going through the proper channels.
Our research shows that while 24% of flytipping came from shops, offices and builders, some 73% of dumped junk came directly from households, much of which was dumped by cowboy operators.
However, all householders have a responsibility, under the waste 'Duty of Care', to ensure their rubbish is passed on to authorised carriers. And those householders not taking reasonable steps to check could face fines of up to £5,000. Registered waste carriers, other than the local council, can be found online by visiting the 'waste carrier register', set up by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. This information is available online, Dumb dumpers rely on people not asking questions, and not checking for registration - but all householders have a responsibility to ask those questions, and check for that registration.
Cowboy contractors make huge sums of money by charging to take household rubbish away illegally, before dumping it at the nearest quiet spot. If that rubbish is traced back to the household it came from, the householder now faces stiff fines. It is vital that everyone takes responsibility for their own waste if we are to cut the supply to the dumb dumpers and drive them out of business - in turn saving council tax payers millions of pounds.
Householders must think carefully about who they give their waste to, and not simply choose the cheapest option. It is important to ask the contractor whether they are a registered waste carrier and ask for their waste carrier number. If they are not registered, householders should refuse the service to protect themselves, and advise the contractor to speak to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
To find out about the proper waste disposal facilities available in your area, please visit the Dump Dumpers website for their recommended Disposal Options. Or if you see someone dumping rubbish illegally, please call the Dumb Dumpers Stop Line on 0845 2 30 40 90.