Campaign highlights stiff penalties for flytipping
Angus homeowners are being reminded of their responsibility in disposing of refuse as a nationwide campaign gets under way.
Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Flytipping campaign is focused on giving householders clear, practical information about their responsibilities as well as the consequences of flytipping.
Eighty-four per cent of people in Scotland agree that flytipping is a problem, while the Scottish Government’s National Flytipping Baseline estimates that 26,000 tonnes of material are dumped across the country each year.
The campaign, is advising homeowners to ensure that they dispose of their waste correctly at a council household waste and recycling centre, or use a registered waste service to remove waste from your home.
If waste is dumped and then traced back to those responsible, they could be fined up to £500. If the matter is taken to court, dumpers could face a fine of up to £40,000.
Heather McLaughlin, campaigns manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Flytipping is a serious crime.
“We understand that the majority of people who want to get rid of waste simply pay the best price for someone to remove the items - they don’t think about what happens to it and whether it ends up in the right place or just dumped.
“But the bottom line is your waste is your responsibility; 38% of people don’t know it is your responsibility to check if the person you ask to remove your waste has a license.
“We know how costly flytipping is to remove; it is not victimless, and we know how it makes people across the country feel as it ruins their communities.
“So next time you’re having a clear out or doing some renovation, dispose of your waste correctly yourself at a council recycling centre or ensure the person you’re paying to dispose of it has a licence to do so.”
Th campaign is part of the charity’s backing of the Scottish Government’s National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.
For more information, visit the Community Litter Hub: Preventing waste | Community Litter Hub. Information about services locally can be found on Angus Council's website.