Neighbours help identify fly-tippers in Colchester
People can become fly-tippers unknowingly through private waste collectors
Neighbourhood warden investigations have led to the five fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued for fly-tipping in Greenstead, Colchester, within the last few weeks.
Three of them were sent to students this week, who were caught on video while dumping several black bags onto a green space near Rosalind Close.
In one case, the wardens found a large pile of waste including toys and decorations dumped near a garage in Woodstock Close. They were able to trace it back to a nearby resident.
In a third incident, they found out that a landlord had thrown away more than a dozen black bags on Dahlia Walk after students had moved out of his property.
Each FPN orders the fly-tippers to pay £150.
Private waste collection services can turn clients into fly-tippers unknowingly
Councillor Sue Lissimore said Colchester Borough Council is using CCTV to identify people and catch registration plates. Trash is also searched for addresses or other details of the owners.
Cllr Lissimore added one of the biggest concerns is that people advertise on social media to pick up and dispose of waste for a fee, only to then fly-tip it.
“If people do that, that is fine, but make sure that they are licensed waste traders, and that they both have a license to take it away, and also a license to get rid of it.
“What we don’t want is for people to pay in good faith for someone to take their rubbish away, only to then be prosecuted because it has been fly-tipped somewhere.”
She also emphasised that fly-tipping can be dangerous to humans and wildlife if hazardous items are left in green spaces.
“We live in a beautiful area of the country. We don’t want it blighted”.
Councillor Simon Crow, Portfolio Holder for Environment & Sustainability, said: “Whether leaving a single refuse bag next to a public bin or dumping larger items and waste on our streets and green spaces, fly-tipping is illegal and a blight on our borough.
“We will continue to take hard action against those responsible and remind everyone that fly-tipping is a criminal offence punishable by a fine or prosecution. The message ought to be clear by now that such environmental offences will not be tolerated in Colchester.”
Residents can report fly-tipping here.