Fly-Tipping Begins At Home
Last updated: 18/10/2006 - 11:58
Fly-tipping by householders costs local authorities as much to clean up as waste dumped by organised 'waste criminals'.
New data shows that fly-tipping by householders is now costing local authorities as much to clean up as waste dumped by organised 'waste criminals' according to Defra.
Defra has therefore published a series of new guide illustrating some easy steps to help councils nip this form of fly-tipping in the bud.
The Problem
Small piles of black bin bags, sofas and electrical goods have become commonplace at the end of many streets. The latest data from the national fly-tipping database, Flycapture, shows the bill to clear up these small-scale tips is now in excess of £2.5 million every month.
Much of the rubbish seems to be being dumped through lack of - or ignorance of - services. Councils are therefore being urged to look at fly-tipping as a chain of events that begins when a product is made and ends when it is dumped on a street corner.
This is in contrast to the current situation, where 81% of the costs involved in fly-tipping are spent on clearance, with prevention and enforcement accounting for just seven and 12% respectively.
Environment Minister, Ben Bradshaw, said: "Councils have tended to concentrate on clearance. That is vital, but there needs to be more emphasis on preventing fly-tipping happening in the first place.
"Prevention, coupled with coming down hard on those who are caught fly-tipping, could help reduce the problem and save money."
Solution
The new Defra good practice guide offers councils advice on how to redress the imbalance. It is based on the findings of a research project, by the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science, into the root causes and incentives behind fly-tipping.
This report showed that while there are a few incorrigible offenders fly-tipping on a commercial scale for big profits, there is a far greater number of occasional offenders, who constitute as great a problem. The findings also revealed that it was the latter group that accounted for more than half of the £50 million spent on cleaning up fly-tips in 2005/06 and that this target group can be more easily deterred from this behaviour.
Council workers are therefore being encouraged to develop an understanding of what drives fly-tipping, what encourages it and what facilitates it. Only then can they assess what can be done to stop it.
The good practice guide illustrates a five-point plan that goes beyond clearance and prevention:
1. Decrease Rewards
"Major motive can be to avoid waste disposal costs. Consider free bulky waste collection, work with neighbouring councils to ensure consistent charges."
2. Enhance Risks
"Fly-tipping can be quite easy at times. Tactics should include CCTV, publication of successful prosecutions and increasing patrols/spot checks."
3. Focus Services
"Long queues after travelling long distances to tips can be a problem. Try extending opening hours, ensuring that collection services meet demand and assessing fairness of charges for trade waste."
4. Remove Excuses
"'Because other waste has been dumped' is often an excuse. Tactics should centre on effective communication of services available. Householder responsibilities and potential fines should be publicised."
5. Address Hotspots
"Sometimes it can take more effort to dispose of rubbish legally, than to fly-tip it. Tactics should include reduction in the availability of fly-tipping 'hotspots'".
Mr Bradshaw added: “The Jill Dando Institute has provided some useful guidance on prevention. Simple actions such as better collection services or longer opening times at local tips are often shown to make a real difference.
“This can be combined with further discouragement through CCTV and publicising the potential fines for fly-tipping, which have been increased through the recent Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act.”
Defra's guide illustrates a five-point plan for local authorities to combat fly-tipping:
To compliment the Guide and increased powers available to councils through the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act, Defra is also launching a fly-tipping enforcement training programme for local enforcement officers and council lawyers helping them to improve their skills to deal with the blight of fly-tipping.
Defra defines fly-tipping as "...the illegal disposal of waste without a waste management licence but is a wide offence. Fly-tipping can range from a single black bin bag up to thousands of tonnes of construction and demolition waste."
Follow this link to access the guides to the new Defra fly-tipping campaign.
PSP Ltd is not responsible for the content of external websites.