Fly-tippers strike three times a day, council says

Council officers were called to clear up waste in Wood Lane, Shirebrook in April

Fly-tipped waste was dumped across a Derbyshire district more than three times a day over the past year, a council says.

Council officers in Bolsover were called to clear up 1,200 incidents of fly-tipped waste in the 12 months to April this year.

Items including tyres, asbestos and household waste have been left at the side of roads, in lay-bys and on country lanes.

Bolsover District Council said it could cost up to £1,000 to clean up extreme cases.

A pile of household waste was recently discovered in Rotherham Road, Stoney Houghton

Chief executive Karen Hanson said the authority spent thousands of pounds every year battling fly-tippers.

“Fly-tipping is costly, not only in terms of money and resources, but to the local environment as well,” he said.

“We are trying to promote our area as a clean and green tourist destination and the last thing anyone wants to see when they walk down the street or along a country lane is fly tipping strewn all over the place.

“We spend thousands of pounds every year on our battle against fly-tippers, money that could be spent on other services for the benefit of our communities.”

'No excuse'

The authority said it had set a fixed penalty for fly-tipping at £400 for smaller scale waste offences, but would seek to prosecute anyone who commits more serious waste offences.

A typical fly-tip clearance can cost anything up to £200, but extreme cases can cost upward of £1,000, the council said.

In an effort to combat fly-tippers, the council has been monitoring hotspots and installed permanent signage in those areas too.

Council officers have also been patrolling areas where fly-tipping has been a problem.

Ms Hanson said: “There is no excuse for fly-tipping, it is anti-social, attracts vermin and other litter and costs a fortune to clean up, so why do it?

“That’s why we are doing everything in our power to catch the culprits and take the most severe action possible.”

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