Recession leads to flytipping plague in Plymouth
THE recession and the high cost of getting rid of rubbish is fuelling the epidemic of fly-tipping in Plymouth, says a licensed waste carrier.
Fly-tipping in Plymouth has leapt by almost 400 per cent in a year, according to figures released by the city council. About 8,150 illegal dumpings were reported by the council to Defra, the Department for Food and Rural Affairs, between 2007/2008 – almost four an hour in the working week, as reported by The Herald last week.
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The cost to the council taxpayer was £320,000. Out of the thousands of dumpings that have taken place, just two people have been taken to court in Plymouth compared to 16 the year before.
Ian Lavill, who owns a small removal business, Already Property Services, and is registered as a waste carrier, said fly-tipping was "a disgrace on my business".
"I don't agree with fly-tipping whatsoever," Mr Lavill, of St Budeaux, said.
"However, the recession and the high costs of getting rid of waste are making the problem worse." Mr Lavill called for the cost of disposing of waste to be reduced. "There has to be a change of attitude to encourage the way people dispose of their waste."
Plymouth City Council said: "Councils have a duty to dispose of household waste but no obligation to dispose of commercial waste.
"It is the duty of the company to make sure they comply with the law. If they are moving waste around they must be registered by the Environment Agency."
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by Ian Lavill, Plymouth
Sunday, June 21 2009, 9:16AM
“A purpose of a waste carrier is to collect and dispose large and multiple items which a person would struggle to move in a car, perhaps a total house clearance. If anyone thinks that a person is taking waste away and thinks that they will fly tip as to see their Environment Agency waste carriers certificate, if they have a professional business they will have a plastic credit size card with there registration number on it.
Also under the Duty of Care legislation it is compulsory to issue the client a waste transfer note.....a paper trace of the waste collection, if you have not been given one the transaction and is illegal, the client under law is just as responsible as the carrier.
The idea of this article is to educate the publics knowledge, which has been given plenty of publicity but no thought of public training. I am glad that it is getting the responce deserved.......and all comments are valid, because it is a subject which has be in lightened in the public domain, because it has had none. When I have had to disgusts my concerns to the powers that be it has always fell on ignorant ears.”
by ely, plympton
Sunday, June 21 2009, 8:25AM
“I'm not surprised this has happened. Plymouth City Council charge a fortune to come and collect items from your house. Fly tipping is a problem but what do they expect when they'll charge you £20 for one item to collect! Fly tipping will always be a problem unless Plymouth City Council do something so people can dispose of unwanted items easily.”
by anom, Plymouth
Sunday, June 21 2009, 8:24AM
“To all the people moaning about Chelston Meadow, tyres are not household waste they are not aloud to be landfilled, tyre fitting companys have a legal obligation to dispose of them, the council has to pay to take tyres away from the site. The council offers a Landlord Scheme where landlords can register with Chelston Meadow and dispose of waste for free, if this gets abused I guess they will start making a small charge. The van permit scheme is for a van owner that is getting rid of waste from their own home if it is thought that the waste is commercial they will be questioned and if it is found out to be commercial they will be turned away, what you have to remember is that person is being paid alot if money from a member of the public and then disposing of it for free.”
by K, Plymouth
Saturday, June 20 2009, 5:30PM
“It is happening everywhere. People have NO consideration for anybody or anything. They even tip on the MOORS. There are mares with foals, ewes with their lambs,Cows with calves even Deer out there. So Please show some consideration for all these animals as it is their home. Please take your rubbish to the proper places.”
by steve, Plymouth
Saturday, June 20 2009, 2:55PM
“Of course Plymouth City Council are complaining about fly tipping, purely on the grounds they have to put there hand on the coffers to go and clean it up, less face it they coulden't give a dam about rubbish in our city full stop.. just take a look around nect time you take a drive our streets are strewn with litter down every street, lane, road, verge, its everywhere, I wouldent be surprised if Plymouth is now officialy the filthiest city in the UK, I have to drive down Kings Road to get to work and its like chelston meadow itself. I am ashamed to have to live in this stinking rotten city that calls itself Plymouth, Councellers you should be ashamed of yourself, oh and while I am on my soap box, where are the road sweepers these days I havent seen one for years... maybe we should have an investigation into expenses into councilers expenses, maybe thats where all the funds are going..”