New campaign to beat fly-tipping
The Fly-tipping Action Wales partnership today (23 March 2011) launched a fresh appeal for householders to take responsibility for their own waste, as part of a new campaign cleaning up fly-tipping hotspots in communities across Wales including Carmarthenshire.
Latest annual Flycapture* statistics published by the Welsh Government show that a total of 41,750 cases of fly-tipping were reported in Wales (01 April 2010 – end March 2011), which equates to around four incidents per hour on average. Household waste accounts for the highest proportion of total cases at almost two-thirds (65%).
The Welsh Government funded partnership, Fly-tipping Action Wales, consists of 50 partner agencies working together to reduce the number of incidents of fly-tipping, which cost Welsh tax payers more than £2.2 million each year to clean-up.
The new Spring Clean campaign comes at a time when people across Wales are getting ready to carry out more DIY, renovation and garden work at home. Householders are being urged to get rid of their waste responsibly by using services such as Householder Waste Recycling Centres.
The partnership is also calling on householders to ask anyone disposing of waste on their behalf to use a tradesperson registered as a waste carrier with Environment Agency Wales and to always ask where the waste is going.
The campaign will see a number of clean-ups taking place at fly-tipping hotspots across North, South West and South East Wales throughout March. The Spring Clean was officially launched today (23 March) with a clean up event in Newport, which was attended by Environment Minister, John Griffiths AM.
In South West Wales, a fly-tipping hotspot at Swiss Valley Cycle Track in Llanelli is the focus of a major clean up operation starting next Monday (26 March). The hotspot is located along a bank in an area owned and managed by Sustrans Cymru, which has been repeatedly fly-tipped. The path is used by cyclists, dog walkers, runners and children making the fly-tipped waste unsafe and an eye sore.
The clean up coordinated by Fly-tipping Action Wale with Sustrans Cymru and partners, Carmarthenshire County Council and Environment Agency Wales will be involved in a three-day clean up to remove the waste. To prevent further cases of fly-tipping, a fence will be installed at the top of the bank.
Clean ups have already taken place at Ceredigion and Neath Port Talbot in the South West. A clean up operation at Penparcau in Aberystwyth involved Ceredigion County Council and Penparcau Football Club. In Neath Port Talbot, two sites were cleaned up in Britton Ferry by partners, Environment Agency Wales and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.
Chris Mills, Director of Environment Agency Wales which coordinates Fly-tipping Action Wales, said: “Fly-tipping is a problem for us all. There are over 40,000 incidents of fly-tipping every year - close to four every hour on average.
“Some people believe that collecting waste and dumping it illegally for profit is acceptable – but they can and should be stopped.
“As 65% of fly-tipping is household waste, we are asking the public to help support Fly-tipping Action Wales’ work by getting rid of their waste safely, legally and responsibly.
“If you use a tradesperson to dispose of your household waste, make sure they are registered as a waste carrier with Environment Agency Wales and help tackle fly-tipping.”
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Director of Technical Services, Richard Workman, said: “There are no excuses for people to dispose of their household waste irresponsibly, a number of sites for household waste and recycling are provided throughout the county and the council also has a bulky waste collection service. If residents have any excess household waste to dispose of they must make sure that any private individuals or companies they use are properly authorised to carry waste, if they don’t and their waste is found fly-tipped they could be prosecuted and fined.
“We all have a part to play in keeping our communities clean, the council is committed to tackling fly-tipping and by working together with our partners we can improve the quality of the environment in Carmarthenshire for both residents and visitors.”
Environment and Sustainable Development Minister, John Griffiths, said: "Together we want to reduce fly-tipping across Wales and improve public awareness of the problem.
"Fly-tipping is a serious environmental crime that poses a threat to people and wildlife, damages our environment, and spoils our enjoyment of towns and countryside. Fly-tipping also has significant annual financial costs. Money that could be better spent on providing other services.
"I urge individuals and businesses to make the right choice for the disposal of their waste to help clean up our communities."
Throughout March, a series of clean-ups** are taking place across North and South East Wales also, including Gwynedd, Conwy and Wrexham in North Wales* and Newport and Monmouthshire in South East Wales.
Tips - Advice for householders from Fly-tipping Action Wales:
• Contact your local authority and be aware of your waste collection dates and civic amenity opening times over the bank holidays.
• If you’re getting rid of large household items such as sofas, contact your local authority to find out about their bulky waste collection.
• Food and green waste is compostable. Check with your local authority about green waste recycling schemes.
• Charities are now working with local authorities to recycle unwanted waste. Make sure you contact your local authority to enquire about any services on offer in your area.
• If you are getting rid of large amounts of waste from your home, use an Environment Agency Wales registered waste carrier who has the necessary licences to dispose of waste. Call 08708 506 506 or visit www.flytippingactionwales.org for details.
Visit www.flytippingactionwales.org for further information.
The Welsh Government funded partnership, Fly-tipping Action Wales, consists of 50 partner agencies working together to reduce the number of incidents of fly-tipping, which cost Welsh tax payers more than £2.2 million each year to clean-up.
The new Spring Clean campaign comes at a time when people across Wales are getting ready to carry out more DIY, renovation and garden work at home. Householders are being urged to get rid of their waste responsibly by using services such as Householder Waste Recycling Centres.
The partnership is also calling on householders to ask anyone disposing of waste on their behalf to use a tradesperson registered as a waste carrier with Environment Agency Wales and to always ask where the waste is going.
The campaign will see a number of clean-ups taking place at fly-tipping hotspots across North, South West and South East Wales throughout March. The Spring Clean was officially launched today (23 March) with a clean up event in Newport, which was attended by Environment Minister, John Griffiths AM.
In South West Wales, a fly-tipping hotspot at Swiss Valley Cycle Track in Llanelli is the focus of a major clean up operation starting next Monday (26 March). The hotspot is located along a bank in an area owned and managed by Sustrans Cymru, which has been repeatedly fly-tipped. The path is used by cyclists, dog walkers, runners and children making the fly-tipped waste unsafe and an eye sore.
The clean up coordinated by Fly-tipping Action Wale with Sustrans Cymru and partners, Carmarthenshire County Council and Environment Agency Wales will be involved in a three-day clean up to remove the waste. To prevent further cases of fly-tipping, a fence will be installed at the top of the bank.
Clean ups have already taken place at Ceredigion and Neath Port Talbot in the South West. A clean up operation at Penparcau in Aberystwyth involved Ceredigion County Council and Penparcau Football Club. In Neath Port Talbot, two sites were cleaned up in Britton Ferry by partners, Environment Agency Wales and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.
Chris Mills, Director of Environment Agency Wales which coordinates Fly-tipping Action Wales, said: “Fly-tipping is a problem for us all. There are over 40,000 incidents of fly-tipping every year - close to four every hour on average.
“Some people believe that collecting waste and dumping it illegally for profit is acceptable – but they can and should be stopped.
“As 65% of fly-tipping is household waste, we are asking the public to help support Fly-tipping Action Wales’ work by getting rid of their waste safely, legally and responsibly.
“If you use a tradesperson to dispose of your household waste, make sure they are registered as a waste carrier with Environment Agency Wales and help tackle fly-tipping.”
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Director of Technical Services, Richard Workman, said: “There are no excuses for people to dispose of their household waste irresponsibly, a number of sites for household waste and recycling are provided throughout the county and the council also has a bulky waste collection service. If residents have any excess household waste to dispose of they must make sure that any private individuals or companies they use are properly authorised to carry waste, if they don’t and their waste is found fly-tipped they could be prosecuted and fined.
“We all have a part to play in keeping our communities clean, the council is committed to tackling fly-tipping and by working together with our partners we can improve the quality of the environment in Carmarthenshire for both residents and visitors.”
Environment and Sustainable Development Minister, John Griffiths, said: "Together we want to reduce fly-tipping across Wales and improve public awareness of the problem.
"Fly-tipping is a serious environmental crime that poses a threat to people and wildlife, damages our environment, and spoils our enjoyment of towns and countryside. Fly-tipping also has significant annual financial costs. Money that could be better spent on providing other services.
"I urge individuals and businesses to make the right choice for the disposal of their waste to help clean up our communities."
Throughout March, a series of clean-ups** are taking place across North and South East Wales also, including Gwynedd, Conwy and Wrexham in North Wales* and Newport and Monmouthshire in South East Wales.
Tips - Advice for householders from Fly-tipping Action Wales:
• Contact your local authority and be aware of your waste collection dates and civic amenity opening times over the bank holidays.
• If you’re getting rid of large household items such as sofas, contact your local authority to find out about their bulky waste collection.
• Food and green waste is compostable. Check with your local authority about green waste recycling schemes.
• Charities are now working with local authorities to recycle unwanted waste. Make sure you contact your local authority to enquire about any services on offer in your area.
• If you are getting rid of large amounts of waste from your home, use an Environment Agency Wales registered waste carrier who has the necessary licences to dispose of waste. Call 08708 506 506 or visit www.flytippingactionwales.org for details.
Visit www.flytippingactionwales.org for further information.
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