Shropshire Council is calling on residents to verify the credentials of anyone they hire to take away their rubbish as part of Keep Britain Tidy’s Fight Fly-Tipping fortnight, 10 to 23 November.
The urgent plea comes after the council spent a staggering £122,000 clearing up 1,569 fly-tipping incidents last year.
Fly-tipping – the illegal dumping of waste – remains a major blight on local streets, parks, and green spaces, both in Shropshire and across the UK, where over a million incidents occur annually. The six-figure cost to local taxpayers in Shropshire alone represents money that could otherwise be invested in improving local services across the county.
David Vasmer, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and waste, highlighted the danger posed by unlicensed operators.
“Fly-tipping is big problem for all of us – for residents, for the council and for our local environment. It’s unsightly, it’s dangerous and it costs a lot of money for the council to clear up,” Mr. Vasmer said.
He warned that a significant portion of the problem stems from rogue ‘white van’ operators offering heavily discounted rubbish removal deals via social media and online. These unlicensed traders take the customer’s money and then illegally dump the waste in lay-bys or nearby streets.
You Could Face a Fine
Crucially, Cllr Vasmer reminded residents of their legal duty of care regarding their waste. “If your waste ends up being fly-tipped, you could face a fine – even if someone else dumped it,” he stressed. “If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
The council is therefore urging people to follow three simple steps to ensure they are using legitimate waste carriers:
– Ask for a waste carrier registration number.
– Check the number on the Environment Agency’s public register or by calling 0300 065 3000.
– Check you will receive a receipt.
By taking these precautions, residents can Protect themselves, protect their community, and protect their local public services from the financial and environmental cost of illegal dumping.
Residents can report fly-tipping incidents in Shropshire by visiting the Shropshire Council website or using the FixMyStreet app.
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